(Hong Kong) Hong Kong’s national security forces arrested Rev. Garry Pang Moon-yuen on April 9 for sedition and posting inciteful content. He applied for bail several times, but the Court denied all his attempts. He has gone through several trials without a lawyer to represent him. He defended himself and denied all the charges. Currently, he is detained at a facility of the Correctional Services Department awaiting his verdict.
Mrs. Chiu Mei-ying (67 years old) was arrested with Pang under the same charges and was represented by attorney Jeffrey Tam.
According to news reports, the verdict will release today. Rev. Garry Pang Moon-yuen says that his case is like the story of David and Goliath in the Bible. He wishes peace for all Hongkongers.
The news report mentioned that Rev. Garry Pang Moon-yuen attended Chow Hang-Tung’s trial. After the sentence was announced, he and Chiu Mei-ying applauded in the Court and claimed the Judge had lost his conscience, leading to their subsequent charges.
Rev. Garry Pang Moon-yuen said he just prayed for Hong Kong and questioned the judge for expelling audiences in Court. He was just fulfilling his responsibility to inspect the judge’s work as a pastor and social media journalist. He added, “I cannot keep silent and I have no choice. So, I defended myself bravely in the Court to protect my freedom and human rights granted by law.”
He said what happened in the Court is not just a war of law. It was also a spiritual war, and a war to protect conscience and justice. It was also a war to fight for freedom and human rights.
Pang pointed out that he was not just defending himself. He was also protecting conscience, human rights, free speech, free media, religious freedom, and the freedom to live without fear.
He questioned, “Why all of a sudden are there so many inciteful people in Hong Kong? Who incited whom? Is it the problem of the person or the society?” He criticized the law article of sedition was reactivated in recent years. Since then, Hong Kong suddenly entered a seditious era. Sedition was not a familiar charge for Hongkongers in the past, but now it is commonly used.
The news report also mentioned that Rev. Garry Pang Moon-yuen cited the words of Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy: “People fear not missiles and tanks but shackles.” Pang said he turned from a court pastor into a prison pastor. He now shares the gospel with other prisoners.
Rev. Garry Pang Moon-yuen hopes the verdict can be announced soon. He has been imprisoned for over six months.
The judge said he needs time to think about his verdict. If Rev. Garry Pang Moon-yuen’s case is postponed until after October 27, then he will continue to be imprisoned, while Mrs. Chiu Mei-ying will be released on bail.
China Aid will continue to focus on Rev. Garry Pang Moon-yuen and Mrs. Chiu Mei-ying’s case, and we ask fellow Christians to pray for them.
~Gao Zhensai, China Aid Special Reporter
