Man Jailed in Hong Kong for Importing Children’s Books
Disturbing Content Leads to Guilty Verdict
In a recent ruling, a district court in Hong Kong has found a local man guilty of importing ‘distressing’ content in the form of children’s books. The prosecution claims that these books aimed to incite hatred and opposition towards the Chinese government.
Kurt Leung Kui-ming, a 38-year-old clerk in Hong Kong, was sentenced to four months in prison under anti-terrorism laws after confessing to importing 18 children’s books containing stories about “Sheep and Wolves.” Local authorities accused the publishers of these books of promoting “distorted ideas” intentionally, with the aim of fueling youth hostility towards the Hong Kong and Chinese governments.
Chief Judge Viktor So of the West Kowloon District Court handed down the guilty verdict on October 6. Leung was found to have violated criminal laws dating back to the British colonial era, specifically the law that prohibits the importation of “Publications of a hideous nature.”
The case unfolded when Leung, who has been in custody since last month, admitted to signing for and receiving several parcels of picture books back in March. The district court determined that a distressing letter accompanied the books. These books, which feature stories about sheep and wolves, were previously mentioned on Instagram in 2022 with the handle “sheepvillage2.0,” by creators who identified themselves as Hong Kong educators now residing abroad.
The story depicted in the books revolves around a village inhabited by sheep. It has been interpreted as a metaphor for various events in Hong Kong, including the 2019 protests against the extradition law, the detainment of 12 Hong Kong refugees by Chinese authorities, and a strike led by Hong Kong doctors during the early days of the COVID-19 outbreak.
The Chinese authorities are depicted as wolves in these picture books, while the Chief Executive of Hong Kong is portrayed as a wolf disguised in sheep’s clothing, taking orders from a “Wolf Chairman.”
The prosecutor also argued that the sequel to the book alludes to other significant events in Hong Kong, such as the informal legislative election organized by pro-democracy groups, the removal of a memorial statue commemorating the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown, and the forced closure of the pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily.
In his ruling, District Court Judge Kwok Wai-kin emphasized that these books foster fear, hatred, resentment, and discord towards the Hong Kong and Chinese governments among children. He expressed concerns that they could contribute to the “brainwashing” of young readers. The prosecutor similarly claimed that the final chapters of the six books, which compare Hong Kong to a sheep village and mainland China to a village of wolves, encourage readers to hate both the Hong Kong and Chinese governments.
In his defense, Leung’s lawyer, Anson Wong, argued that his client’s involvement was limited to signing for the books and that he had no intention of inciting any crimes. Wong characterized Leung’s actions as that of an unwitting participant. Leung expressed remorse and sent a letter offering his sincere apologies for his “stupid behavior.”
Nevertheless, Chief Justice So determined that the fact that the books were aimed at children and young people made them more likely to be considered criminal, particularly given the “border crossing factors” involved. So viewed the act of importing these books as a potential encouragement for the production of similar content by foreign entities. He expressed concerns that such “disturbing ideas” could take hold and have an intergenerational impact on the minds of children and young people.
Despite initially being sentenced to six months in prison, Leung had his sentence reduced to four months after pleading guilty. He had already spent a month in custody awaiting trial.
It is worth noting that this case did not fall under the scope of the new security law imposed by China, which criminalizes rioting, subversion, collusion with foreigners, and terrorism, carrying the maximum penalty of life imprisonment. Instead, this case invoked an older law that deals with publications of a hideous nature, with a maximum prison sentence of two years. This law was last amended 40-50 years ago during Hong Kong’s colonial period under British rule.
In a related incident in 2022, five Hong Kong therapists, Melody Yeung, Sidney Ng, Samuel Chan, Fong Tsz-ho, and Lai Man-king, all in their 20s, were sentenced to five years in prison on terrorism charges for printing a children’s book with illustrations depicting sheep protecting their village from wolves.
Source: “Hong Kong man jailed for 4 months for importing ‘distressing’ children’s books,” HKFP, 06-10-2023
A district court in Hong Kong has found a Hong Kong man guilty of importing ‘distressing’ content after he signed off on several children’s books. which is a children’s book which the Hong Kong authorities claim incites hatred and opposition to the Chinese government.
14 October 2023 Foreign media reported on 6 October 2023 that Kurt Leung Kui-ming, a 38-year-old clerk in Hong Kong, was sentenced to 4 months in prison citing anti-terrorism laws after admitting to importing 18 children’s books that contains “Sheep and Wolves” stories which Hong Kong authorizes Publishers who publish these children’s books are allegedly full of They called it “distorted ideas” claiming it is encouraged in deliberately inciting youth hatred towards the Hong Kong government and the Chinese government.
Viktor So, Chief Judge of the West Kowloon District Court ruled on October 6 that Leng was guilty of breaking criminal laws that have existed since the British colonial era. is the law that prohibits the importation of “Publications of a hideous nature”
A 38-year-old man has been arrested since last month. Last March and signed to receive these picture book parcels The package contained a letter which the district court said was intended to be distressing. These books contain stories about sheep and wolves. previously announced in 2022 via Instagram called “sheepvillage2.0” (literally “sheep village 2.0”), the creators describe themselves as Hong Kong educators now living abroad.
The story in the book is about a village where sheep lived. and has been interpreted as a metaphor for various events in Hong Kong, including the protests against the extradition law in Hong Kong in 2019, the detention of 12 Hong Kong refugees by the Chinese authorities, and the strike by Hong Kong doctors. the early days of the outbreak of COVID-19
There is an interpretation that the Chinese authorities are compared to a village of wolves in these picture books. and making Hong Kong’s chief executive a wolf “in sheep’s clothing” who took orders from a “Wolf Chairman”
In addition, the prosecutor of the case also interpreted that The sequel to the book suggests different events. that took place in Hong Kong, such as Hong Kong’s informal legislative election organized by pro-democracy groups, the removal of a memorial statue commemorating the 1989 crackdown on Tiananmen Square protesters, and an Order to close pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily
District Court Judge Kwok Wai-kin said the books foster fear, hatred, resentment and discord. To the Hong Kong government and the Chinese government in the minds of children and will lead to “Brainwashing” of young readers The prosecutor’s application also mentioned the book in the same way as the verdict, saying in the last chapters of the six books that a comparison of Hong Kong as a sheep village. and compared mainland China to a village of wolves. It has been shown that the wolf side is “bad” and the sheep side is. It is therefore considered that “the oppressed” encourages readers to hate the government of Hong Kong and China.
The prosecutor’s application states that Leng told police that he had been told by a former colleague, Choi Wing-tat, that an envelope addressed to him had been sent and that the defendant had been asked to sign on his behalf, saying he did not know what was in the package. However, in the preliminary investigation stage the prosecutors searched the suspect’s phone. It was found that there was a conversation in the conversation which showed that a 38-year-old man had known that before. The book above was inside the parcel and a picture of the book was also seen.
The defendant’s lawyer, Anson Wong, tried to argue that The defendant plays a role “He was not involved in any wrongdoing,” because he only signed to receive the items. and it has not been redistributed in any way Furthermore, even though he knew it was a book with scary content, he was an idiot. He himself had no intention of inciting any crime, including writing a letter asking for restitution, expressing his sincere apologies for His “stupid behaviour”
However, the Chief Justice said in his decision that The fact that the book is aimed at children and young people makes it difficult. Become more likely to be a criminal And from what this case has “Border crossing factors” are included. Importing this book is tantamount to Encourage foreigners to continue producing books with content like this. The judge claimed that he was afraid that such “scary ideas” could take root and penetrate the minds of children and young people. “Intergenerational impact”
Leng was sentenced to six months in prison for the crime, but his sentence was reduced after he pleaded guilty. Including the source He has been in custody for a month awaiting trial. He will only be jailed for 4 months after this.
This case does not use the new security law from China. which aims to criminalize riot, subversion, and collusion with foreigners and terrorism which carries the maximum penalty of life imprisonment. But this case uses the law on grief. The last amendment was made 40-50 years ago when Hong Kong was still a British colony. This law carries a maximum prison sentence of two years.
In addition, back in 2022, there were 5 Hong Kong therapists: Lai Man-king, Melody Yeung, Sidney Ng, and Samuel Chan. ) and Fong Tsz-ho, all in their 20s, have been sentenced to five years in prison by a Hong Kong court on terrorism charges. Because of the printing of ‘Provocative publication’ A children’s book with illustrations of a group of sheep protecting their village from wolves.
Compiled from
Hong Kong man jailed for 4 months for importing ‘distressing’ children’s books, HKFP, 06-10-2023
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