Hong Kong’s anti-graft agency, the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), filed charges today against three residents for allegedly promoting an election boycott online ahead of the upcoming 2025 Legislative Council (LegCo) elections. The arrests stem from accusations that the trio illegally shared social media posts encouraging others not to vote. The defendants — a 55-year-old air conditioning engineer, a 66-year-old unemployed man, and a 61-year-old housewife — were set to appear in West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts this afternoon.
According to the ICAC, the three individuals were each charged with one count of engaging in illegal conduct at a public activity during an election period, specifically inciting another person not to vote. This is a direct violation of Section 27A(1)(a) of the Elections (Corrupt and Illegal Conduct) Ordinance. The enforcement action comes as the official election period for the 2025 LegCo elections began on October 24, running until the voting day on December 7.
The investigation focuses on the defendants’ actions on social media, where they allegedly reposted content that called for voters to abstain from the polls. The ICAC stated that the defendants—identified as Wong Kin-kwok, Lam Kin-sik, and Ma Wai-ling—individually disseminated the same core message of non-participation.
Manhunt Launched for Original Viral Posters
In a related development, the ICAC confirmed it has obtained arrest warrants for two other individuals, identified as Ginger Wong and Tom Tang, who are accused of originally creating and publishing the inflammatory posts calling for the boycott. The agency noted that both men have since left Hong Kong.
Ginger Wong, 34, and Tom Tang, 44, face two counts each of inciting non-voting, with the warrants specifying that they exploited their own social media pages to display content urging the public not to cast a ballot in the 2025 elections.
The ICAC reiterated its firm stance against any attempt to “interfere with and undermine” the legitimacy of the LegCo elections through the dissemination of messages encouraging non-voting. The commission emphasized that under the current election ordinance, publicly inciting others not to vote or to cast invalid ballots during an election period constitutes an offense. Crucially, the agency warned that simply sharing or reposting such content is also deemed illegal.
ICAC Vows Decisive Enforcement
Authorities underscored the importance of maintaining a high standard of probity in elections, cautioning the public to adhere strictly to the law and to be aware of how they might be manipulated by those attempting to disrupt the democratic process.
“The ICAC will exercise stern and decisive enforcement in executing the Elections Ordinance and safeguarding clean elections,” the agency stated in a press release. This action signals a strong commitment by the authorities to prevent and combat any behavior intended to undermine the fairness, transparency, and honesty of the electoral process.
The investigation and subsequent prosecutions highlight the stringent legal boundaries surrounding political discourse and election-related activities in the city, particularly concerning public calls for boycotts or abstention during the defined election period. The results of today’s court appearance are expected to set a precedent for enforcing these specific election laws in the digital sphere.
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