Photo taken on July 1, 2020 shows the Golden Bauhinia Square after a flag-raising ceremony held by the government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in Hong Kong, south China.(Photo: Xinhua)

The case in which the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China (Hong Kong Alliance) and its three chairs were charged with incitement to subvert state power was presented before a court in Hong Kong on Friday. 

The case is set to run again on October 28.

The plaintiffs in the subversion case are Chairperson Lee Cheuk-yan and Vice-chairs Albert Ho Chun-yan and Tonyee Chow Hang-tung. All three acknowledged charges against them on the court. 

Lee and Ho did not apply for release on bail. Chow applied but was denied the bail. A review of bail will be addressed on September 15. 

Chow and four other standing members were charged of not providing information as required.

Police officers from the National Security Department earlier also sued these seven standing committee members of the Hong Kong Alliance on the ground that they had violated national security laws applicable in Hong Kong. 

Last month, the Hong Kong Alliance was charged by the National Security Department of acting as a "foreign agent," a crime under relevant national security laws. The department demanded the alliance hand over its financial, meeting and activity records in the past eight years, but the alliance refused.

The National Security Department has frozen HK$2.2 million ($283,000) belonging to the alliance.

According to Hong Kong media, Secretary for Security in Hong Kong Chris Tang Ping-keung will suggest to chief executive Carrie Lam and the Executive Council to exclude the Hong Kong Alliance from the list of registered companies in exercising power under Article 360C of the Companies (Winding Up and Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance.

The move is out of the need to maintain national security, public security and public order, according to the Security Bureau.

The alliance will be given the opportunity to respond in a written statement.

Global Times