Hong Kong
Hong Kong activist Koo Sze-yiu, who was sentenced to nine months in prison under the sedition law, has said that he doesn’t mind being a martyr for democracy and human rights.
Koo Sze-yiu has built wooden coffins by hand having messages that denounced the communist party of China and he would often use them as props during protests in Hong Kong, sources reported.
On February 4, which was also the opening day of Beijing Winter Olympics, he planned to do the same thing by carrying a homemade wooden coffin to China’s Liaison Office in the city, but national security police raided his apartment and arrested Koo that day before any protest could take place, sources reported.
A Hong Kong court had sentenced him to nine months in jail under the so-called sedition law for planning to protest against the Olympics earlier this year.
The friends of the Hong Kong activist feared that he could die in prison even while serving a short sentence because he was diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer.
However, Koo urged the court not to show him mercy before his sentencing, it added.
I don’t mind being a martyr for democracy and human rights, Koo said.
In mainland China there are many political prisoners, prisoners of conscience and political dissidents. Compared with human right lawyers in China, what I have sacrificed is nothing, he added.
The lawyer of the Hong Kong activist had argued that Koo’s protest plans should not be considered a crime and they did not involve any act of violence.
