Former opposition lawmaker Lam Cheuk-ting was arrested Monday morning for allegedly disclosing the personal information of individuals being investigated by police in relation to the Yuen Long mob attacks last July.
Officers from the Independent Commission against Corruption (ICAC) arrested the Democratic Party member at his home and brought him to North Point police station.
Last July, over 100 rod-wielding men stormed Yuen Long MTR station leaving 45 people injured — including Lam. Police were criticised for responding slowly to the incident, with some officers seen leaving the scene or interacting with the white-clad men. Footage from the incident showed Lam on the floor and bleeding from the mouth.
In a video of Monday’s arrest posted to his Facebook page, Lam — a former ICAC investigator himself — told officers that the commission had become a “tool for political persecution.”
“We both graduated from cadet school and know the law,” Lam told the ICAC officer, “You are interpreting the law in this way for purely political reasons. My arrest today clearly shows the decline of the ICAC, and also the decline of Hong Kong.”
When Lam asked officers whose identity he had unlawfully revealed, the officer declined to reply, saying he would not disclose further information while a camera was rolling.
A Monday press release said the anti-corruption body had sought legal advice: “Upon receipt of complaints, the ICAC has investigated the alleged disclosure in accordance with the law and established procedures, and sought legal advice from the Department of Justice afterwards.”
Lam’s charges will be heard at the Eastern Magistrate’s Court at 2:30 pm on Monday.
Under the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance, persons who disclose the details of an ongoing ICAC investigation, or identify those under investigation, are liable to up to one year imprisonment and a HK$20,000 fine.
Lam is also facing previous charges of rioting in relation to the 721 mob attacks. A court last week denied the former lawmaker access to his passport while on bail.
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