Five years for Ching Cheong

Ching Cheong has been sentenced to five years. His lawyer doesn’t want to reveal too much with regards to the specifics of the penalty, but the China Daily is quite happy to. Apparently,

According to the verdict, Ching Cheong is also deprived of political rights for one year and personal property worth 300,000 yuan (about US$37,500) has been confiscated.”The penalty is a mitigated one considering that after Ching Cheong was detained, he voluntarily confessed to more espionage activities than those the state security departments had known about. He also gave up his notebook computer, which contained evidence of espionage, to the authorities,” according to a document released by the court.

Seeing how the maximum penalty for spying is death, his additional dastardly espionage activites and notebook computer must contain some stellar information. None of which will see the light of day as his trial was conducted in a closed courtroom, of course.

I’ve read elsewhere that his supporters are hoping for a medical parole, although there has been no mention of his health status. I wonder what political negotiations would have to be going on in order for that to happen, and if the Hong Kong or Singapore governments value his liberty enough to do so.

• 31 Aug 2006

• Thinking