A man and a woman on Tuesday became the first Hong Kongers convicted for supporting a local election boycott in online posts, the latest court verdict to shrink political freedoms in the business hub.

Salesman Chan Kin-man, 36, and office assistant Alice Leung, 65, were both sentenced to two months in jail with 18 months of suspension respectively by a magistrate in Hong Kong after pleading guilty to "inciting others" not to vote, or to cast invalid vote.

Hong Kong is not a democracy -- the source of years of protests that were eventually crushed by prosecutions and a national security law that has criminalised much dissent.

But just under a quarter of seats in the city's legislature are directly elected under a new "patriots only" system Beijing installed last year.

Ahead of the poll last December, authorities made it illegal to encourage anyone to boycott the vote or spoil their ballot.

Chan and Leung were arrested shortly before polls opened for reposting a Facebook appeal by Ted Hui, a former opposition lawmaker living overseas, who called on Hong Kong voters to "cast a blank vote to resist the unjust system".

Although casting a blank vote is not an offence in Hong Kong, principal magistrate Bina Chainrai said in court Tuesday that Hui's post was illegal because "it's more than just asking people to cast blank votes, he was asking people to... express dissatisfaction of the government".

Under Beijing's new rules, only "staunch patriots" are allowed to stand for office.

All candidates had to be vetted for political loyalty, meaning the city's traditional pro-democracy opposition was frozen out.

The poll drew record-low turnout and returned a 90-seat legislature overwhelmingly stacked with government loyalists.

Hong Kong's anti-graft agency, the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), arrested a total of 10 people under the new law ahead of December's vote, and has charged three of them.

The third accused, Victor Chou Wing-tat, a 57-year old garment industry worker, pleaded guilty to three counts of the offence last week and now awaits sentence in May on court bail.

Six democracy activists in exile, including Hui and another ex-lawmaker Nathan Law, are wanted by the ICAC over the offence.

Inciting others to boycott a vote can carry up to three years jail and a maximum fine of HK$200,000($25,672).

Hong Konger who bit off activist's ear sentenced to 15 years in jail
Hong Kong (AFP) April 19, 2022 - A Hong Kong man was jailed for nearly 15 years Tuesday after biting off the ear of a democracy activist and attacking three others at the height of the city's protests in 2019.

The prison term for Joe Chen, who shouted Chinese nationalist slogans before his attack, is the longest of those charged in relation to the city's social turmoil three years ago.

High Court judge Judianna Barnes on Tuesday said Chen's biting off part of the ear of democracy activist Andrew Chiu was "very barbaric" and defied belief.

In December, a jury found Chen guilty of three counts of wounding with intent -- an offence punishable by up to life imprisonment -- and one count of common assault.

The court earlier heard that Chen, 52, shouted "Reclaim Taiwan" outside a shopping mall in Taikoo Shing, a middle-class neighbourhood, in November 2019.

Communist China views self-ruled Taiwan as its own territory and has vowed to one day seize it, by force if necessary.

Nationalists fervently want the democratic self-ruled island to be "returned" to the mainland either by choice or force -- something the vast majority of Taiwanese do not want.

Chen attacked a man and two women with a knife when they confronted him, leaving the man in critical condition.

Chiu, a democracy activist and district councillor, had part of his left ear bitten off when he tried to restrain Chen.

Defence lawyers previously argued that Chen had consumed alcohol before the attack, and that he had suffered from chronic mental health issues stemming from his unemployment.

In a letter to the court, Chen's wife claimed that her husband had never raised his hand against her in 30 years together.

But judge Barnes questioned the accuracy of her claims, citing a medical report that said Chen's wife once woke up to see her husband pointing a knife at her throat.

At the time, Chen was institutionalised after his wife called the police, which showed that he had violent tendencies, Barnes added.

An earlier civil claim between Chen and the four victims had been settled, with Chiu compensated HK$1.9 million ($242,000).

After the attack, Chen was surrounded by large crowds that included demonstrators from nearby protest sites.

Six men were charged with rioting after they beat up Chen in retaliation, with authorities accusing them of "vigilante justice".

Chiu is one of dozens of prominent activists in jail awaiting prosecution under a new national security law over their role in the city's now crushed democracy movement.

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