Ren Zhiqiang embezzled almost $7.4 million of public funds and accepted bribes worth $184,178, according to a court verdict. Rights campaigners accuse President Xi Jinping and the Communist Party of using corruption charges to silence dissent.
The pro-Beijing block says the law is necessary for Hong Kong to show appropriate respect for the anthem. Those found guilty of intentionally abusing the “march of the volunteers” would face up to three years in prison and fines of up to $6,450.
Many people in Hong Kong plan to commemorate the bloody 1989 crackdown by Chinese troops in and around Tiananmen Square by lighting candles across the city, circumventing a ban on the usual public gathering amid the coronavirus pandemic.