Former inmate challenges policy over Chinese and Western meals in Hong Kong prisons

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Activist Derek Chan (left) is challenging the Correctional Services Department's prisons policy following his incarceration over his conviction for throwing an egg at Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah (right). Photos: Dickson Lee, Edward Wong

Published: 3:30pm, 18 Aug 2015Updated: 11:28am, 19 Aug 2015

A protester who was jailed for throwing an egg at Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah has accused the Correctional Services Department of racial discrimination for serving him smaller Chinese-style meals instead of larger Western portions.

League of Social Democrats’ secretary general Derek Chan Tak-cheung, who was jailed for three weeks, claimed in a High Court document that the arrangement was unlawful and unconstitutional.

Chan said he was detained at Lai Chi Kok Reception Centre between April 29 and May 2, and at Tong Fuk Correctional Institution from May 2 to 19.

But he soon noticed that the diet provided to Chinese prisoners was different from what was given to Western inmates.

He said that the Chinese breakfast included rice with a little meat, while the Western meal had cheese, jam, butter, toast and milk tea.

The Chinese lunch was congee with beans, Chinese tea and a piece of bread, while the Western one consisted of a hamburger, vegetables, a boiled egg, toast, potatoes and milk tea.

For dinner, the Chinese meal options were vegetables and meat, fried fish with bones or chicken wings, while the Western options included a hamburger, pork, boneless fried fish steak, fried chicken wings, potatoes, baked beans in tomato sauce, bread, butter and jam, and milk tea.