Over 2,500 arrested over Hong Kong's social unrest involve in judicial proceedings

HONG KONG, April 8 (Xinhua) -- The Department of Justice of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government Thursday said that of the 10,242 people arrested between June 9, 2019 and Feb. 28, 2021 over the social unrest in Hong Kong, 2,521 have been or are undergoing judicial proceedings.

According to the Security Bureau of the HKSAR government, of the 2,521 people, about 720 people were charged with riots, the rest were charged with other crimes including illegal assembly, arson and insulting the national flag.

In response to questions from Legislative Council members on Thursday, the Department of Justice said that among the 2,521 people involved in judicial proceedings, 883 people had to bear legal consequences, including 614 people convicted, 261 were bound over, four were sentenced to care or protection orders, and four were punished through civil proceedings for contempt of court.

In addition, 50 people were acquitted of their charges, 186 people were acquitted after trial, and the judicial proceedings for the rest are still ongoing.

The Civil Service Bureau of the HKSAR government said that by the end of February, 26 civil servants had been arrested on suspicion of participating in illegal activities. They are now under police investigation or being prosecuted, and all have been suspended.