2 arrested over alleged online calls for voters to spoil ballots in Hong Kong’s ‘patriots-only’ local election
Hong Kong Free Press
Two people have been arrested by Hong Kong’s anti-graft watchdog over allegedly encouraging people to cast an invalid ballot in Sunday’s opposition-free District Council election.
In a statement on Sunday, the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) said it had arrested a couple, both aged 41, “for allegedly inciting others on the Internet to cast [an] invalid vote at the 2023 District Council Ordinary Election.”
The woman, who worked as a clerical officer at the government’s Department of Health, and the man, unemployed, were accused of commenting on a social media post “which incited others to put three or more ticks on their ballot papers at the election.”
Their home was searched and their mobile phones were seized. The pair had been detained for further investigation, according to the ICAC.
At polling stations, voters in the newly-restricted race are meant to tick only one box next to their favoured candidate. Though spoiling a ballot, or boycotting elections is legal, it is unlawful to encourage others to do either.
Those found guilty of inciting others to cast invalid ballots risk three years behind bars and a fine of HK$200,000.
“The ICAC urges members of the public to abide by the law and not to engage in illegal appeals or repost any unlawful contents in order to uphold a fair and clean election,” the ICAC statement said.
Election laws were revised two years ago to make it illegal for anyone to encourage others not to vote, to spoil their ballot, or to leave it blank.
Following a pro-democracy landslide at the last polls in 2019, the opposition has been effectively barred from running in Sunday’s polls. In May, the number of seats chosen democratically by the public was slashed from 452 to 88, with the rest chosen by the city’s leader and government-appointed committees.
Constituency boundaries were redrawn, the opposition were shut out, and each local council is to be chaired by a government official, similar to colonial-era arrangements. All candidates underwent national security vetting to ensure patriotism.
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