HONG KONG: Six people accused of causing a nuisance in a Hong Kong courtroom were arrested for sedition on Wednesday, as authorities ramp up use of the colonial-era law against critics.

Court disruptions are usually dealt with under contempt rules but authorities have chosen to deploy sedition, a charge treated as a national security offence.

Police said four men and two women were arrested over their behaviour at court hearings in December and January.

The suspects “purposely caused nuisance” and “severely affected jurisdictional dignity and court operations”, police said in a press release. The statement did not detail what specific behaviour or actions were deemed seditious.

Hong Kong’s courts have become gathering places for democracy supporters as authorities prosecute thousands of activists and protesters following citywide rallies in 2019.

Most hearings are open to the public, and democracy supporters often applaud or shout words of encouragement to defendants appearing in the dock.

Published in Dawn, April 7th, 2022