Hong Kong teenager gets 3 years in detention for mocking Chinese anthem

An 18-year-old from Hong Kong has been sentenced to three years in detention for making fun of the Chinese flag and for insulting the national anthem on social media platforms.

The teenager, identified as Chui Hoi-chun, has been punished for posting more than 29 offensive posts on various social media platforms such as YouTube, Discord, and the LIHKG between May 2020 and September this year. He will now spend three years at a Hong Kong correctional institution.

Chief Magistrate Victor So Wai-tak said Chui "incited hatred toward mainland China with his anti-government posts."

He added that the man "trampled on the country's dignity and hurt the feelings of the people with his mockery of the national anthem and flag," per a report in the South China Morning Post.

The magistrate also cited Chui's psychological report, which stated that he had supported pro-democracy protests that took place in 2019 in Hong Kong. The teenager was slapped with sedition charges for tampering with the lyrics of the national anthem.

He changed the first line of the Chinese national anthem – "Stand up! Those who refuse to be slaves! With our flesh and blood, let's build our newest Great Wall!" to "Late! I'll take you around the world! I ride on the Godzilla, and my mum says I'm really a freak!"

Another version of the anthem was replaced with Cantonese curses in two posts published on the LIHKG website on May 28, 2020.

The national anthem ordinance and the amended national flag and national emblem ordinance was passed last year in September. The law made insulting the national anthem or national flag punishable by three years imprisonment and a HK$50,000 (HK$6,430) fine.

Last month, a journalist was sentenced to three months in prison for breaking the national anthem law. He was convicted for waving a British colonial flag during an event organised to celebrate Hong Kong's victories at the Tokyo Olympics.