Hong Kong 47 defendant Ventus Lau, sentenced to 4 years and 5 months, spends his 33rd birthday in prison

(Rights Defense Network Information Center report) On October 8, 2026, this site learned that today is the birthday of Ventus Lau, a defendant in the Hong Kong 47 case who was sentenced to 4 years and 5 months; he is spending his 33rd birthday in prison. For taking part in the 2020 pro-democracy primary, he was sentenced to 4 years and 5 months in the Hong Kong 47 case for “conspiracy to subvert state power” and is still serving his sentence.

Ventus Lau: Born on October 8, 1993; English name Ventus LAU Wing-hong; formerly a British Hong Kong national and now a national of the People’s Republic of China (Hong Kong); former convener of the “CUHK Localism Society”; former member of the New Democratic Alliance and district director for Pok Hong Estate in Sha Tin; founder of the Sha Tin Community Network (a political organization); spokesperson for the Civil Assembly Team; successful pro-democracy primary candidate for New Territories East; localist democrat; political prisoner in China.

He grew up in Yau Oi Estate, Tuen Mun, Hong Kong; during secondary school, he studied at Hong Kong Shun Tak Fraternal Association Leung Kau Kui College, and later entered the Chinese University of Hong Kong (hereafter “CUHK”), where he studied Chinese Language and Literature at S.H. Ho College. During this period, he served as chair of the student association representative council at S.H. Ho College and founded the localist student organization “CUHK Localism Society.” After graduating from university, he became a district worker, but from 2014, at the invitation of his secondary-school teacher, Tam Hoi-bon of the New Democratic Alliance, he joined the New Democratic Alliance and served as district director for Pok Hong Estate in Sha Tin, thereby entering the political arena;

In January 2015, as convener of the “CUHK Localism Society,” he supported the CUHK Student Union’s withdrawal from the Hong Kong Federation of Students, a position at odds with the New Democratic Alliance’s stance of “supporting the Federation and opposing withdrawal.” He left the New Democratic Alliance and founded a new organization, the “Sha Tin Community Network.” He also gave his full support to its member Wong Hok-lai (then aged 22), who won the District Council election that year and became the youngest elected councillor in the district at the time;

For the 2017 Hong Kong Legislative Council election, on December 5 he personally filled out and signed, on behalf of the “Community Network Alliance,” a pledge to fully support and take part in the pro-democracy primaries for Kowloon West and New Territories East organized by “Power for Democracy.” But on January 31, 2018, he suddenly received notice from Chan Yim-man, the returning officer for the New Territories East constituency, that his nomination to run was invalid, on the grounds that he had expressed support for Hong Kong independence on Facebook in 2016. Although he had again stated on Facebook in December 2017 that, “given the political reality,” he no longer supported Hong Kong independence, the returning officer still determined that he in fact continued to “support Hong Kong independence” and therefore barred him from running. Accordingly, in May 2018 he filed an election petition with the High Court to challenge the returning officer’s decision, and in September 2019 the court ruled in his favor.

In 2019, influenced by the “Anti-Extradition” movement (also known as the movement against the Fugitive Offenders and Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Legislation (Amendment) Bill), he actively organized four public assemblies and marches between June and August: a petition to the consulates of G20 countries; the Kowloon July 7 Peaceful March; an assembly at Chater Garden (calling for accountability over police officers firing shots in Sheung Wan on July 21 and condemning the police for their mishandling of the Yuen Long attack); and a march in Kwun Tong (calling attention to the alleged infringement of citizens’ privacy by “smart lampposts”). On September 30 that year, he was suddenly arrested by police on suspicion of entering the Legislative Council with several others on July 1, in violation of the Legislative Council (Powers and Privileges) Ordinance. On November 22, 2019, he was formally charged with “entering or remaining within the precincts of the Chamber,” but remained free;

On January 19, 2020, to urge the Hong Kong government to immediately implement democratic political reform or, failing that, to call on other countries to sanction Hong Kong officials and senior police officers responsible for human rights violations, his organization took part in the “Sanction the World” assembly at Chater Garden, where he served as spokesperson. After violent clashes between the assembly participants and police, he explained the course of the clashes to the media in Wan Chai and was again arrested by police, on suspicion of “inciting public sentiment and violating the terms of the letter of no objection for the assembly.” Mainland media also disparaged him as the “ringleader,” saying his actions involved “spreading rhetoric to sell out Hong Kong, hatred of the police, and incitement to violence”; two days later, he appeared at the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts;

On June 9, 2020, the charge against him was amended by the court to the more serious charge of “riot,” and he was ordered to appear in court the next day. For the 2020 Legislative Council general election, he registered as a candidate again and successfully won the primary organized by the pan-democratic camp. But several days after submitting his nomination following his primary victory, on July 25, he and Yang Yueqiao and Ho Kwai-lam, who were running in the same constituency, simultaneously received letters from the returning officer for that constituency asking about their positions on several issues. Five days later, their nominations following their primary victories were declared invalid;

On January 6, 2021, he was arrested again for his earlier participation in the 35+ primary election case (also known as the Hong Kongers case) and held for a prolonged period at Lai Chi Kok Reception Centre. On March 4 that year, through his lawyer, he announced the formal dissolution of the Civil Assembly Team. On August 18, 2022, he and 28 other defendants pleaded guilty to “conspiracy to subvert state power.” On March 16, 2024, he was sentenced by the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts in Hong Kong to approximately four and a half years in prison for the “riot” charge brought against him in 2020. On November 19 that year, the Hong Kongers case was sentenced collectively at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts in Hong Kong (sitting as the High Court); deemed an “anti-China, destabilizing Hong Kong element,” he was again given a heavy sentence of 4 years and 5 months in prison. The two sentences run consecutively, and his term is expected to end in August 2028. He previously served time at Stanley Prison and is currently serving his sentence at Shek Pik Prison.