Tam was the first person to be charged with sedition in Hong Kong since 1997, under a colonial-era law that authorities in the territory have used with increasing frequency since the crackdown began on pro-democracy protesters and supporters. The anti-sedition law is separate to the national security law introduced in 2019 which also criminalises acts as sedition, as well as terrorism, secession, and foreign collusion.
The 50-year-old former vice-chair of the People Power party has been in jail since his September 2020 arrest. He had been arrested on a similar accusation in the January prior and released on bail.
