| WHEN the long-awaited court decision finally
came, it rendered Ms Mary Lau speechless.
Reporters had gathered outside her home to
await the ruling on her husband Ching Cheong's
appeal against his five-year sentence for
spying.
But when the news that the appeal had been
turned down by the High Court in Beijing broke
just after 9am yesterday, she was not only
disappointed but also so furious she could not
address the journalists properly.
Reporters had to wait till a press conference
at 3pm to hear the bulk of her reaction to the
bad news she had been dreading for weeks.
Speaking to about 30 journalists at the
Foreign Correspondents Club, she said: 'I had to
take tranquillisers to calm my nerves, but still
woke up early to wait for news.
'Most people, including myself, had expected
the outcome. But after having put in so much
effort, we thought there was some
hope...Ultimately there was none.'
The High Court yesterday rejected Ching's
appeal and upheld his original five-year
sentence for espionage, among other penalties.
The Hong Kong resident, who is the Chief
China Correspondent for The Straits Times, was
detained in Guangdong in April last year and
formally charged in August with spying for
China's rival Taiwan.
'I was so angry I just couldn't talk to
anyone, but I told myself that I had to calm
down because there is still a lot of work to be
done,' said Ms Lau yesterday.
Topping the to-do list is the drafting of a
petition of further appeal to be submitted to
the Beijing High Court, and possibly state
leaders, said the 54-year-old freelance
journalist.
The family is also seeking medical parole for
Ching, given his poor health.
He has lost 10kg since he was detained 19
months ago. Besides high blood pressure, he also
suffers from insomnia and intestinal pains, his
family said.
Ms Ching Hung Yee, a younger sister of the
journalist, told The Straits Times that she had
spent the previous night with her parents, both
of whom are in their 80s.
'My mum woke up very early to watch cable
news, which carried the proceedings live from
Beijing. She sobbed a little when the decision
was announced,'' she said.
Friends and supporters yesterday also
expressed their 'extreme disappointment''.
Mr Allen Lee, a local deputy to the National
People's Congress, or China's Parliament, said
that the best chance of securing Ching's release
would be through medical parole.
'There have been very few cases where the
original sentences were overturned, so I was not
surprised,' he told The Straits Times.
Former mainland judge and Chinese University
professor Ong Yew Kim agreed.
Prof Ong, who was also at the press
conference, expressed his 'sadness' over the
state of the mainland legal system.
'There are so many loopholes in the case that
I'm very disappointed with the decision,' he
said.
'I had hoped that China's judiciary system
had improved in the past 20 years. But this
trial showed that it was not the case. The
reforms to China's legal system are...nothing
more than a slogan.'
The Ching
Cheong
Incident Group and the Hong Kong
Journalists Association held a 90-minute protest
yesterday evening.
Held at Chater Garden outside the Legislative
Council building, the event drew about 100
people, including pro-democratic legislators
Alan Leong, Audrey Eu and Lee Wing Tat.
Mr Leong, a respected lawyer who is aiming to
stand in the city's Chief Executive election
next year, said Ching's case is 'one close to
the hearts of all Hong Kongers'.
'The lack of information during the trial
leaves much to be desired of the mainland legal
system,' he told The Straits Times.
'This will worry a lot of Hong Kong residents
who spend a lot of time working on the
mainland.'
APPEAL TO PREMIER WEN 'We are naturally
disappointed but we have to respect the decision
of the court there. We had appealed to Premier
Wen Jiabao in September for a reduction in the
sentence on compassionate and health grounds,
and I hope that he will consider our appeal
favourably.' STRAITS TIMES EDITOR HAN FOOK KWANG
VERY DISAPPOINTED
'The appeal court has supported only the
initial court's evidence and verdict. There was
no consideration for our argument. Therefore, we
feel very disappointed.' Mr CHING HAI, Ching's
elder brotherSTRAITS TIMES EDITOR HAN FOOK KWANG
KEEPING CALM
'I was so angry I just couldn't talk to
anyone, but I told myself that I had to calm
down because there is still a lot of work to be
done.'' MS MARY LAU, Ching's wifeSTRAITS TIMES
EDITOR HAN FOOK KWANG
DEEPLY PAINED
'I am deeply, deeply pained by the thought of
Ching Cheong having to spend the next few years
in a prison. He has been a colleague and close
friend since 1996. I have learnt much about
China from him and am thoroughly convinced that
he is a patriot dedicated to working for his
country's betterment. The irony is that more
than once, he has had to pay a steep price for
loving his country. 'All I can do now is hope
that the Chinese authorities will show him
leniency and compassion, and pray that he will
find the strength, mental and physical, to
endure the punishing years ahead.' MR LESLIE
FONG, head of Singapore Press Holdings'
marketing division, speaking in his personal
capacity. Mr Fong hired Ching in 1996 when he
was Straits Times editor.
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