|
. | . |
|
by Staff Writers Hong Kong (AFP) Jan 01, 2015 A Hong Kong teenager who was arrested and sent to a children's home after she drew a flower on a wall famous for pro-democracy messages has been released on bail, authorities said Thursday. The announcement came after the 14-year-old girl's lawyers accused authorities of "disproportionate" measures against teenage protesters seeking fully free leadership elections. The girl was arrested last week for chalking a flower on the "Lennon Wall" and sent to a children's home Monday for three weeks as a court considers whether to remove her from her father's care. The application before the court alleged that she is being neglected by her family but the girl's lawyers strongly rejected the charge citing a lack of evidence. "She previously had to be in a children's home but there is now no need (for her) to stay there," a police spokeswoman told AFP on Thursday, without elaborating further. The police spokeswoman said that the girl has been released on bail before her case is heard again on January 19. Her bail conditions include a nightly 10 pm curfew unless she goes out with her father, sister or a social worker, according to local media reports. The girl's lawyer, Patricia Ho, said earlier that the decision to place minors in children's homes was usually only undertaken in extreme cases and was an attempt by authorities to "impose a climate of fear". The "Lennon Wall" is a staircase by a major thoroughfare in Admiralty district which was blocked by democracy protesters during more than two months of rallies and plastered with brightly-coloured notes of support for the movement. Police cleared the protest site in early December. In a separate case, a 14-year-old boy could also be removed from his parents' care after being arrested when police cleared a protest camp in Mongkok in late November. Neither of the teenagers have been formally charged. Police have told AFP they do not have a total figure for the number of minors detained during the pro-democracy protests. But some as young as 13 were arrested at small Christmas protests in Mongkok, according to police statements.
Related Links Democracy in the 21st century at TerraDaily.com
|
|
The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2014 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement All images and articles appearing on Space Media Network have been edited or digitally altered in some way. Any requests to remove copyright material will be acted upon in a timely and appropriate manner. Any attempt to extort money from Space Media Network will be ignored and reported to Australian Law Enforcement Agencies as a potential case of financial fraud involving the use of a telephonic carriage device or postal service. |