Four of Nine Occupy Leaders Jailed

Dr Chan Kin Man (left) and Benny Tai (centre) were jailed for 16 months

Today nine people who were found guilty on public nuisance charges related to the 2014 Occupy protests found out their fate.

In the end four of them were sent to jail -- two of the founders of "Occupy Love and Peace", Benny Tai Yiu-ting, and Dr Chan Kin-man were both sentenced to 16 months, while legislator Shiu Ka-chun, and League of Social Democrats vice-chairman Raphael Wong Ho-ming were handed eight-month sentences.

The judge, Johnny Chan Jong-herng considered Reverend Chu Yiu-ming's poor health and had his 16-month sentence suspended for two years.

Tanya Chan revealed she a brain tumour diagnosis

Then lawmaker Tanya Chan Suk-chong's lawyer revealed shocking news in the court, that his client was suffering from a life-threatening brain tumour the size of a ping pong ball and needed to undergo surgery in two weeks. As a result then judge adjourned her sentence.

And former lawmaker Lee Wing-tat had his eight-month sentence suspended for two years as the judge considered his years of public service.

Meanwhile former student leaders Tommy Cheung Sau-yin and Eason Chung Yiu-wa, were sentenced to 200 hours of community service, and eight months' of jail respectively, but Chung also had his jail sentence suspended, with their ages (25 and 26 respectively) taken into consideration.

Although the judge criticized the nine for putting their political demands before the lives of others, he also noted the protests were non-violent, and the goal was not motivated by "greed, lust, anger, or monetary reward", though the obstruction was serious and its duration extensive.

Reverend Chu Yiu-ming wept as he left court

"The nine defendants just looked up to their aspirations... but they failed to notice the ordinary folks who needed to use the carriageways," the judge said, describing their would-be "martyrdom" as "contorted".

He added the group never apologized to the public for causing such an inconvenience for 79 days.

After he walked out of the dock, Chu burst into tears without his friends, Tai and Chan.

 "In the past five years, we have never been apart," the reverend said, before leaving court. "Today, they were sentenced to jail. I'm in immense sorrow. I am truly willing to go with them."

The relatively light sentences show the judge felt the defendants were honest about their motivations, though he said they were "naive".

The unforgettable protest in 2014 that lasted 79 days

This was a relief, because if the sentences had been harsh, tensions would have continued to rise. Can we finally move forward? That depends on Carrie Lam administration -- or shall we say Beijing? This case has dragged on too long and today it has finally ended.

It's a sad day for the fight for democracy in Hong Kong, though some might say it's just a blip in the long term...