ICAC seeks 5 fugitives on the run

HONG KONG - Five more Hong Kong fugitives are wanted by the city's anti-corruption watchdog for inciting others not to vote in Sunday's Legislative Council election.

They include Nathan Law Kwun-chung and Sunny Cheung Kwan-yang, who're also sought by the police for breaching Hong Kong's National Security Law. The others are former district councilors Timothy Lee Hin-long, Lee Ka-wai and Carmen Lau Ka-man.

The Independent Commission Against Corruption has issued a warrant against the five for breaching Section 27A of the Elections (Corrupt and Illegal Conduct) Ordinance.

The section stipulates it's illegal to incite another person not to vote or to cast an invalid vote through public activities during the election period.

Any person who commits an offense under the Elections Ordinance is liable on conviction to a maximum penalty of three years' imprisonment and a fine of HK$200,000 ($25,632).

The five are charged with violating Article 1 of the ordinance. Cheung also faces two other similar charges.

Law had allegedly incited voters not to vote in the election in a speech at a web conference on Dec 3. The other four activists made similar calls at a meeting broadcast on social media on Dec 16, while Cheung posted two such calls on social media on Dec 15.

So far, 10 people have been arrested for allegedly breaching Section 27A of the Election Ordinance during the 2021 legislative election campaign. Two of them have been charged. Besides the 10 arrestees, seven others are wanted, including the five sought by the ICAC.