The National Security Department of the Hong Kong Police Force arrested a 62-year-old man on Monday for alleged sedition. Together with the seven suspects arrested on May 31, a total of eight arrested suspects were allegedly involved in committing sedition, days before the 35th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square protests.

The police accused the suspects of committing offences in connection with a seditious intention, contrary to section 24 of the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance. Secretary for Security Tang Ping-keung confirmed that the eight arrested suspects operated a social media page named “Chow Hang Tung Club” with intentions to bring Chinese and Hong Kong citizens into hatred against the Chinese central government, the Hong Kong SAR [HKSAR] government and the judicial authority of the HKSAR.

Local media, Witness HK, reported that one of the suspects is Chow Hang Tung and the person who was arrested on Monday is Chow’s uncle. Chow continues to be remanded in custody and other suspects have been released on bail. Previously, Chow was convicted of inciting others to participate in an unauthorised assembly and sentenced to 15 months imprisonment. Chow was also convicted of failing to comply with a notice to provide information as a foreign agent under the China-imposed National Security Law. Currently, Chow is applying for leave to appeal to the Court of Final Appeal against her conviction and sentence.

Chow was the vice president of the currently disbanded Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China. The government is also charging the alliance for incitement to commit subversion. A hearing is scheduled on June 24 to hear the defence’s challenge on whether one of the judges should withdraw herself from the case as she had access to redacted prosecution materials.

In March, the legislature unanimously passed the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance. Previously, the ordinance blocked an inmate’s sentence remission for violating national security offences. This is the first time the police invoked the sedition offence in the newly enacted ordinance.

In the press conference, Tang reiterated that the ordinance only targets a small group of people who seek to undermine national security. Tang said that the government welcomes criticisms of government policies and continues to protect citizens’ freedom of speech pursuant to the Hong Kong Basic Law and other international covenants.

On the other hand, Taiwan’s Judicial Reform Foundation published a joint statement, along with 19 other civil groups including Amnesty International, to call for the immediate release of Chow and the withdrawal of the charges. The groups also called on the government to ensure the ordinance and its implementation is compatible with international human rights norms and standards; this was previously criticised by UN Special Rapporteurs.