Hong Kong’s top court has granted former lawmaker, “Long Hair” Leung Kwok-hung, leave to appeal against a judgement to send a contempt case against him for retrial, as fellow activist Avery Ng was arrested outside the courthouse.

Veteran activist Leung, 64, was accused of taking away documents from then under secretary for development Eric Ma’s desk during a panel meeting at the Legislative Council in 2016. He was initially acquitted of contempt under the Legislative Council (Powers and Privileges) Ordinance by a Magistrates’ Court.

Leung Kwok-hung
Leung Kwok-hung arriving at the Court of Final Appeal on Tuesday. Photo: StandNews.

The Department of Justice later filed and won an appeal against the Magistrates’ Court’s judgement in June last year, and the case was set for retrial, before the Court of Final Appeal approved Leung’s application to appeal against the decision on Tuesday.

The appeal will be heard on August 31.

In a separate case, Leung is currently remanded in custody for allegedly violating the national security law in connection with his participation in a primary election for the since-postponed Legislative Council election.

The former lawmaker will appear in court on Friday to appeal against Chief Magistrate Victor So’s decision to deny him bail in the national security law case.

Avery Ng arrested

Before the start of the Leung hearing on Tuesday morning, his colleague, Avery Ng,44, the Secretary General of the League of Social Democrats, was arrested outside the court as he and other members of the party gathered to voice their support for Leung.

Avery Ng arrested
Avery Ng arrested outside the Court of Final Appeal on Tuesday. Photo: StandNews.

Police told HKFP that Ng is accused of attacking a man outside the Court of Final Appeal on February 1, when Ng went to the court to support Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai as judges reviewed a government appeal against an earlier decision to grant the tycoon bail.

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Candice is a reporter at Hong Kong Free Press. She previously worked as a researcher at a local think tank. She has a BSocSc in Politics and International Relations from the University of Manchester and a MSc in International Political Economy from London School of Economics.