A Hong Kong activist, who was shot by a police officer during clashes at a National Day protest in 2019 failed to appear in court on Tuesday, according to local media.
The South China Morning Post reported that 19-year-old Tsang Chi-kin, who had been charged with rioting and two charges of assaulting a police officer, didn’t turn up after his lawyer said the defendant would plead guilty.
The near-fatal shooting was captured on film, which showed a group of black-clad protesters forcing an officer to the ground, before another officer arrived at the scene and shot Tsang in the chest.
In October, Tsang was one of four activists, who unsuccessfully sought refuge in the U.S consulate.
Tsang told SCMP that the U.S rejection was akin to being plunged from heaven to hell, saying his motivation was fear of being charged under the new national security law, which comes with hefty sentencing.
SCMP reported that Tsang had been in hiding since the failed asylum bid for fear that he would face additional charges of collusion with foreign forces.
A crackdown on dissidents is now a daily norm in the city, due to the breadth of the new national security law, which targets separatism, subversion, as well as collusion with foreign forces and terrorism. (dpa)
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