‘I am an innocent victim’, democracy activist Howard Lam tells Hong Kong court over kidnap-torture claims

Prosecution says it has 172 witnesses against Lam, who is accused of knowingly making a false police report last year in which he described how mainland agents had abducted him and punched staples into his legs

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Howard Lam Tsz-kin arrives at Kowloon City Court. Photo: Winson Wong

Published: 5:09pm, 13 Mar 2018Updated: 10:27pm, 13 Mar 2018

A Hong Kong democracy activist who claimed mainland Chinese agents kidnapped and tortured him by punching staples into his legs told a court on Tuesday that he was an innocent victim and denied making a false police report.

Democratic Party founding member Howard Lam Tsz-kin, 42, was accused of knowingly making a false report to officer Wong Kai-pui at Queen Mary Hospital in Pok Fu Lam on August 11 last year.

The Kowloon City Court heard Lam told Wong that he was abducted at the junction of Portland Street and Pitt Street in Yau Ma Tei the afternoon before.

Howard Lam shows his wounds to the media at a press conference last year. Photo: Felix Wong

When asked to enter a plea on Tuesday, Lam declared: “Your Honour, I am an innocent victim, I would rather die than submit. I most certainly will not plead guilty.”

I would rather die than submit. I most certainly will not plead guilty

Howard Lam, democracy activist

“So what is your plea?” Principal Magistrate Bernadette Woo Huey-fang asked.