VOA reported that, on Tuesday February 6, the Court of Final Appeal announced that the three Hong Kong student pro-democracy leaders of the 2014 Umbrella movement, Joshua Wong, Nathan Law and Alex Chow, won their appeal. After the three students stepped out of the courthouse, they told the media that the court verdict was just like a “sugar coated harsh verdict.” They disagreed that the protest in the Civic Square was violent. They said that the high court has tightened the interpretation of the civil non-violent disobedience movement. It was an indication that participants in any similar movement in the future could face several months or even years of imprisonment. Therefore it was not worth any celebration.
According to the article, the Court of Final Appeal announced the verdict of the three Hong Kong Umbrella Movement students at 4:00 p.m. on February 6. The verdict stated that the case in Civic Square incurred lighter violence. According to the new sentencing guideline introduced in August 2017, the Court of Appeal has the power to impose imprisonment for violent and illegal large size gatherings. Any leader who allegedly incites others or anyone to use violence could face a more severe legal consequence. However, since the new guideline does not apply to previous cases like this one, the students won the appeal. In August 2017, the three student leaders had been convicted and jailed for their roles in the occupation of Civic Square in 2014.
Source: Voice of America, February 7, 2018
https://www.voachinese.com/a/news-top-court-ruling-having-chilling-affect-20180207/4242689.html