courtHong Kong, Oct 13 (AFP) Jailed Hong Kong activist JoshuaWong spent his 21st birthday in court today where he was foundguilty of contempt for obstructing the clearance of a majorencampment during the city's 2014 mass Umbrella rallies.
Wong, who had already pleaded guilty to the charge, and19 other activists were all found guilty, but the judge, whois also handling the corruption trial of the city's ex-leaderDonald Tsang, did not set a date for sentencing.
According to a defence lawyer, there is no maximumpenalty for contempt of court but other activists previouslysentenced on contempt charges have received punishments of upto three-months.
Supporters in and outside the courtroom sang "HappyBirthday" prompting the 21-year-old Wong to smile and thankthem.
Wong and two other student leaders were jailed in Augustfor six to eight months for their roles in the initial protestthat sparked the months-long Umbrella Movement demonstrationsand street blockades in 2014, convictions rights groups havecalled politically motivated.
Joshua Wong's father Roger Wong earlier told AFP he wassurprised by the prison term and shocked by the reaction ofHong Kong's legal community, with two powerful organisationsreleasing statements defending the judicial system and judges.
"The elites in law were congratulating each other. I findthat disgusting," he said.
"I thought the statements would come with comprehensivelegal analysis, but there was none of that... just brown-nosing," he added.
The elder Wong, a retired IT professional, and his wifehave been visiting their son in prison, and say he is puttingon a brave face.
"If I was in his position, in front of my parents, Iwould say positive things too and not want them to worry,"said Wong, 53, speaking to AFP at the family's compactapartment filled with photos, books and printed bible verses.
"I think the biggest pain for him is not being able to goon the internet," he said.
Unlike most middle-class parents in education-obsessedHong Kong, Wong senior said he was open-minded about his son'sstudies and future path -- they always knew he was politicallyminded.
When he was small, "he would have a bottle in his mouthbut still continue to speak. Of course, we didn't know what hewas saying... (but) he always enjoyed expressing himself,"Wong said.
"His academic record would not be good enough for Oxfordor Cambridge, but they have invited him over as a speaker --it's just a different role," he said.
Roger Wong has recently become active in his staunchanti-LGBT campaigning, which is a point of tension in thefamily as his son's political party Demosisto supportslegalising same-sex marriage.
But he said he would still have supported his son'spolitical career if he ran for office. Wong's prison term nowbars him from running for the next five years.
As Beijing and local authorities tighten the screws onpolitical activism in the semi-autonomous city, Wong says heis not worried about this difficult path his son has chosen --he just wants him to stay strong.
"I hope he will keep his innocent heart to do what isright, and remain happy," Wong senior said.
"Some things don't show their results immediately, butyou can persist." (AFP)CPS.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.