HONG KONG -- Four former student leaders from the University of Hong Kong have been sentenced to two years in prison for inciting people to wound others through their praise of a man who stabbed a police officer before taking his own life in 2021.

Kinson Cheung, Charles Kwok, Chris Todorovski, and Anthony Yung were held responsible for passing a motion in the student union council expressing "deep sadness" and appreciation for the "sacrifice" made by the man. The motion was passed amidst widespread public anger against the police force, who were criticized for their handling of the 2019 pro-democracy protests.

During the sentencing, Judge Adriana Noelle Tse Ching emphasized that the words used in the resolution were likely to incite hatred against the police. The judge stated that a lenient sentence would send the wrong message to society, deeming the offense a serious one.

On July 1, 2021, the anniversary of Hong Kong's handover to Chinese rule in 1997, Leung Kin-fai, the man praised in the motion, stabbed a police officer before turning the weapon on himself. City authorities referred to Leung as a "lone wolf" domestic terrorist who was politically radicalized.

The passing of the motion sparked criticism from the university and Hong Kong's security bureau, leading Kwok and his fellow student leaders to apologize and retract the resolution. Some student leaders also resigned from their positions.

Despite the apology, the political storm did not subside, resulting in the arrest of the four former student leaders in August 2021. Originally charged with advocating terrorism under Beijing's national security law imposed after the 2019 protests, the charge was dropped after they pleaded guilty to an alternative charge of incitement to wound with intent.

The national security law has been widely criticized for suppressing dissent and has led to the prosecution or silencing of many prominent activists. However, Beijing and the Hong Kong government assert that the law has contributed to restoring stability in the city.

This sentencing serves as a reminder of the stringent measures being taken to enforce strict adherence to the law in Hong Kong, particularly in relation to any acts that could incite violence or undermine public order.