Asia-Pacific

H.K. Activist Chow Moved to Prison for Serious Criminals

AP file photo
Pro-democracy activist Agnes Chow speaks to the media in Hong Kong on Aug. 30, 2019.

By Kenichi Yoshida / Yomiuri Shimbun Correspondent

12:42 JST, January 2, 2021

BEIJING — Pro-democracy activist Agnes Chow, who was sentenced to 10 months in prison in December for inciting unauthorized rallies and other charges related to anti-government protests in Hong Kong, has been transferred to a different prison used for serious criminal offenders, the local newspaper Ming Pao reported in its online edition on Friday.

The prison was originally intended for inmates convicted of murder, drug trafficking and other serious crimes.

The transfer of Chow, 24, sparked criticism from people familiar with issues of inmates’ human rights, with one calling it irrational.

Another local newspaper, Oriental Daily News, said in its online edition that the reason behind the transfer is thought to be that Chow has maintained influence even from behind bars by sending out information about her life in prison on social media through her supporters who visited her in jail.