Honcques Laus

Honcques Laus (Chinese: 劉康; born 10 October 2001) is a Hong Kong pro-independence activist, utilitarian, and writer. He is the founding and current chairperson of the Hongkonger Utilitarian Party[1] and former Ming Pao Student Reporter.[2] In 2017, he displayed a slogan showing 'Hong Kong independence' during a Ming Pao student event attended by the Chief Executive Carrie Lam.[2][3] In 2020, he fled to the United Kingdom due to the controversial national security law passed in June, and was wanted by the Hong Kong Police Force later after.[1][3]

Honcques Laus
劉康
Honcques Laus in 2019
Born (2001-10-10) 10 October 2001
Hong Kong
EducationKwai Chung Methodist College
Open University of Hong Kong
SchoolUtilitarianism
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese劉康

Biography

Honcques Laus was born at Tsan Yuk Hospital in Hong Kong in 2001. He studied at Kwai Chung Methodist College and after that he started studying at Open University of Hong Kong.[2][4]

From 2014 during the Umbrella Revolution, he started to realize that Hong Kong doesn't have democracy and freedom, making him start to be concerned about politics and social justice. In 2016, the localist groups gained significant traction during the New Territories East by-election, inspiring him to advocate independence.[5]

On 16 November 2017, when he was in Form 5, during an awards ceremony held by Ming Pao, he had a chance to take a group photo with the chief executive Carrie Lam and he is in the back row. He held his phone with a "Hong Kong independence" slogan and no photographers realized that.[6] After that, his school, Kwai Chung Methodist College, warned him on his behaviours[7][8] but he thought it was his right to exercise freedom of demonstration and decided to protest outside the school on 24 November.[9] However, while Hong Kong National Front (香港民族陣綫) and Studentlocalism were protesting on the day to support Laus, Laus was not allowed to leave the school for two hours due to "safety reasons".[10]

In December 2017, he was arrested for bringing an air gun which is unassembled and without a gun case at Lennon Wall near the Legislative Council Complex.[11] He was later charged of possessing immitaion firearm.[12] On 12 September 2018, he was sentenced an 18-month probation order.[13] In June 2019, he appealed his charges and sentence.[14] On 4 July 2019, he won the appeal against conviction.[15]

Laus reading John Stuart Mill's book, Utilitarianism.

On 29 June 2019, he founded Hongkonger Utilitarian Party (香港效益主義黨), a pro-independence group which advocates utilitarianism, emphasizing liberty, democracy and independence. He became the chairperson of the party. [16]

In August 2019, he published his first book "輕論時政" at the age of 17.[17] Activists including Lam Wing-kee and Joshua Wong were invited to write the foreword.[18]

In late June 2020, shortly before the Hong Kong national security law went effective, he fled to the United Kingdom and sought asylum.[1] He said that he would not give up his political views.[19] On 31 July, he was wanted, together with 5 other activists, by the HKPF. They were alleged to have "incitement to secession and collusion with foreign forces".[1][3] In December 2020, Laus posted on Facebook that his Bank of China account was suspended although the account only had HK$47.23.[20][21]

References
  1. "Who are the 6 Hong Kong activists wanted by the police under Beijing's national security law?". Global Voices Kenya. 5 August 2020. Archived from the original on 19 September 2020. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  2. "與林鄭大合照舉手機屏突擊示威 撐港獨中五生遭校方警告" (in Chinese). Apple Daily. 24 November 2017. Archived from the original on 22 January 2021. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  3. "'Wanted' Hong Kong activist Honcques Laus says he'll keep lobbying foreign politicians after fleeing security law". Hong Kong Free Press. 16 September 2020. Archived from the original on 19 September 2020. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  4. "「效益黨」劉康︰已抵英申政治庇護 籲各國制裁香港及中國政府 (10:30)" (in Chinese). Ming Pao. 30 July 2020. Archived from the original on 22 January 2021. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  5. "【流亡者們】人生第一次搭飛機，就是流亡——劉康" (in Chinese). Apple Daily. 5 September 2020. Archived from the original on 9 September 2020. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
  6. 潘希橋 (16 November 2017). "【政壇諸事町】「突襲」林鄭成功 中五生合照時展示「港獨」標語" (in Chinese). HK01. Archived from the original on 15 March 2020. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
  7. "突襲示威學生遭校方警告 團體到校聲援 批校方政治打". HK01 (in Chinese). 24 November 2017. Archived from the original on 15 March 2020. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  8. "學生校外派港獨傳單 遭教局嚴厲譴責 親中團體踩場對罵". Apple Daily (in Chinese). 24 November 2017. Archived from the original on 6 November 2018. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  9. "撐港獨中五生遭校方警告". Apple Daily (in Chinese). 24 November 2017. Archived from the original on 8 August 2018. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  10. "撐港獨中五生一度被禁放學". Apple Daily (in Chinese). 25 November 2017. Archived from the original on 6 November 2018. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  11. "港獨劉康涉藏仿製槍 稱返學出街都攜帶". on.cc東網 (in Chinese). 7 August 2018. Archived from the original on 26 August 2020. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
  12. CHAN, HOLMES (22 August 2018). "16-year-old pro-independence student convicted over possession of imitation firearm". Hong Kong Free Press. Archived from the original on 11 November 2020. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
  13. "青年立法會外藏氣槍罪成 判感化18個月 (12:16)". Ming Pao (in Chinese). 12 September 2018. Archived from the original on 14 December 2020. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
  14. "「學生動源」劉康就定罪提上訴 質疑官加入盤問程度高". RTHK (in Chinese). 4 June 2019. Archived from the original on 26 August 2020. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
  15. Lau, Chris (4 July 2019). "Hong Kong secondary school pupil wins appeal against conviction for possession of imitation firearm near legislature". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on 22 August 2019. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
  16. "17歲中學生劉康成立效益主義黨 批政府令港人陷於痛苦". Hong Kong In-media (in Chinese). 29 June 2019. Archived from the original on 30 June 2019. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
  17. "【Emily】「效益黨」劉康出書 歡迎畀美金" (in Cantonese). Ming Pao. 31 August 2019. Archived from the original on 14 September 2019. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  18. "不只是行動派｜十七歲劉康出版新書思考時政哲學，紀錄黑獄見聞". Local Press HK (in Chinese). 30 August 2019. Archived from the original on 15 March 2020. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
  19. "【國安法】「效益黨」主席劉康抵英尋政治庇護 稱預計遭迫害". Headline Daily (in Chinese). 30 July 2020. Archived from the original on 26 August 2020. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
  20. "Activist doesn't shiver at freezing action". Hong Kong Standard. 31 December 2020. Archived from the original on 22 January 2021. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
  21. "Wanted Hong Kong activist Honcques Laus says bank account with HK$50 has been 'terminated'". Coconuts Hong Kong. 30 December 2020. Archived from the original on 30 December 2020. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
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