| 2005 |
| 22 April |
Ching Cheong was put
detained under residence surveillance by National
Security Bureau |
| 31 May |
Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced
that Ching Cheong was involved in spying activities
for foreign intelligence agencies |
| 2 June |
Ching's wife Lau Man-yee published
an open letter to President Hu Jintao |
 |
| 14 June |
Hundreds of Hong Kong University
alumni and celebrities issued an open letter to
President Hu Jintao. Hong Kong Journalists' Association
published a joint statement signed by several hundred
journalists |
| 5 August |
A Xinhua News Agency reporter,
having “‘consolidated information from various
government departments' sources”, reported that
Ching Cheong was formally arrested |
| Early August |
A number of local publications
published unverified reports undermining Ching's
character and integrity |
| 10 August |
Ching Cheong's 150 friends issued
a joint statement counteracting the ‘blackmouthing'
activities on Ching |
| 11 August |
The lady implicated to be Ching's
mistress came to Hong Kong to openly refute the
rumours |
| 16 August |
The magazine which carried the
initial unverified reports publicly apologized
for wrongful reporting |
|
| 9 September |
Ching Cheong Incident Concern
Group wrote to Vice-President Zeng Qinghong requesting
a meeting during his HK visit to hear them on the
case |
| 4 December |
Over 10,000 citizens signed petitions
for Ching's release |
| 12 December |
National People's Congress HKSAR
Deputy Allen Lee Peng-fei wrote to the NPC Chairman
Wu Bangguo asking him to look into the matter |
| 30 December |
Ching's case transferred to the
People's Procuratorate |
| 2006 |
| 16 February |
The People’s Procuratorate
returned the Ching’s case back to the State Security
for further investigation |
| 16 March |
The pan-democratic camp wrote
to the United Nations Human Rights Committee asking
them to be concerned about Ching Cheong's detention |
| 20 March |
Veteran CPPCC deputy Xu Simin
wrote to President Jia Chunwang of the Supreme
People's Procuratorate, and President Xiao Yang
of the Supreme People's Court appealing for an
early resolution of the Ching’s case |
| 30 March |
CCICG wrote and appealed to Chief
Executive of the HKSAR, Donald Tsang, to clearly
reflect to the Central Authorities Hong Kong community's
desire for an early and reasonable resolution of
the Ching’s case |
| 6 April |
CCICG received reply from the
Chief Executive’s Personal Secretary, assuring
them the HKSAR Government would help and follow
up on the Ching’s case |
| 12 April |
CCICG wrote another letter to
the Chief Executive of the HKSAR, asking him to
raise the Ching’s case with Vice President Zeng
Qinghong for an early rsolution during the BoAo
Conference between April 21-23 |
| 17 April |
The Ching’s case was raised in
the Committee for Protection of Journalists' Protest
Letter to President George W. Bush urging him to
raise concerns for press freedom with the visiting
Chinese President Hu Jintao |
| 21 April |
HKJA and CCICG joint press conference
on Ching Cheong's one-year detention day |
| 21 April |
Hong Kong Journalists Association
in collaboration with the International Federation
of Journalists issued a joint statement with over
400 journalist signatories supporting Ching Cheong |
| 22 April |
Ching Cheong has been
detained for one whole year |
| 29 April |
The Ching Cheong case was transferred
to the Beijing No.2 Intermediate People’s Court |
| 20-21 July |
The Hong Kong Journalists Association
in collaboration with the Visual Artists Guild
in the United States and 20 other human and media
rights groups worldwide launched a global bid to
free Ching Cheong. These groups held media events
in 10 cities including New York, Melbourne, San
Francisco, Toronto, Bonn etc asking the Chinese
Government to handle the Ching Cheong case in accordance
with fair, just, and transparent principles |
| 22 July |
The Hong Kong Alliance in Support
of Democratic Movements in China petitioned the
Central Liaison Office for the early release of
Ching Cheong |
| 26 July |
he Democratic Party wrote Chief
Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen asking him to reflect
the Ching Cheong family’s pleas to the Central
authorities |
| 14 August |
The April Fifth Action petitioned
the Central Liaison Office (representative of PRC
Government in HK) for Ching Cheong’s release |
| 15 August |
The Ching Cheong case was heard
in Room 4 of the Beijing No. 2 Intermediate People’s
Court at 9:30am and ended at 6:30pm |
| 16 August |
The Lu Jianhua case was heard
in Room 4 of the Beijing No. 2 Intermediate People’s
Court at 9:30am and ended at 11:05am.
The Hong Kong Journalists Association
held a candlelight vigil in support of
Ching Cheong at the Chater Garden that
evening |
| August 31 |
Case verdict was read at 9am at
the Beijing No. 2 Intermediate People's Court as
follows: Ching Cheong was sentenced to five years
in prison on spy charge, confiscate personal property
of RMB300,000, and ordered to return another HK$300,000.
Ching Cheong immediately told the court he would
file an appeal against the verdict. |
| September 8 |
Ching Cheong submitted his Appeal
application to the Court through his lawyers |
| September 17 |
Forum "The Ching Cheong Verdict
Report - Analysis from a Legal Perspective" jointly
organised by the Hong Kong University Graduates'
Association and the Ching Cheong Incident Concern
Group |
| September 28 |
The Ching Cheong Incident Concern
Group publishes in an advertisement her open letter
to Mr. Hu Jintao, President of the People's Republic
of China |
| October 8 |
"From the Ching Cheong Case
to the China Information Traps" seminar jointly
organised by the Hong Kong Journalists' Association
and the Ching Cheong Incident Concern Group |
| October 8 |
"From the Ching Cheong Case
to the China Information Traps" seminar jointly
organised by the Hong Kong Journalists' Association
and the Ching Cheong Incident Concern Group |
| October 15 |
News from Ching Cheong’s lawyer
that the appeal court would not hold a court hearing
for the case. |
| October 31 |
The Information Centre for Human
Rights and Democracy in China reported that a Beijing
judge said the ruling on the appeal case would
be made by the end of November. |
| November 2 |
The Ching Cheong Incident Concern
Group and Hong Kong Journalists Association held
a press conference in which Mary Lau, Ching’s wife,
reiterated the family’s concern for fair trial
of Ching Cheong and his deteriorating health. First
time a family member appears on stage. |
| November 14 |
Ching Cheong family handed petition
letter to HKSAR Chief Executive Donald Tsang, urging
him to bring up the case with President Hu Jintao,
whom he would meet during the Asia-Pacific Economic
Co-operation forum to be held in Hanoi, Vietnam
in the following days. |
| November 24 |
Beijing High Court announced today
that Ching Cheong’s first verdict is being sustained.
Ching Cheong’s two brothers and one sister, and
defence lawyer attended the court announcement.
Ching defended that he never intentionally involved
in espionage and asked the court to waive his criminal
responsibility in consideration of the national
policy of “one country, two systems”.
Ching’s wife, Mary Lau, held a press conference
in the afternoon on the same day, condemning the
final verdict. She vowed to continuing fighting
for Ching’s release with petition and application
for medical parole. |
| November 27 |
Through the Hong Kong SAR government,
Ching’s family applied to the Beijing Intermediate
People’s Court for Ching’s medical parole and transfer
to Guangdong to serve his sentence. |
| December 1 |
Ching Cheong Incident Concern
Group issued an open letter in support of Ching’s
family to petition to Wu Bangguo, the President
of National People’s Congress, who would be in
HK the next day to officiate the opening of the
International Telecommunication Exposition. |
| December 7 |
Mary Lau received advice from
the lawyer that the judge of the Beijing Intermediate
People’s Court did not receive the application
for Ching’s medical parole, and Ching’s file was
transferred to the Prison Bureau. Ching’s family
again delivered through the HK SAR government to
the Prison Bureau the application for medical parole
and transfer to Guangdong prison. |
| December 12 |
Ching Cheong Incident Concern
Group and HK Journalist Association separately
issued co-signed letters to the HKSAR Chief Executive
Mr. Donald Tsang, petitioning Beijing to release
Ching Cheong early on medical parole. Within a
few days, over 4000 signatures from all walks of
life in HK were obtained. Co-signatories included
Executive and Legislative Councillors, present
and former government officials, civil servant
groups, members of religious groups, professionals
such as medical doctors and lawyers, electors for
the Chief Executive, as well as members of the
public. The co-signed letter with all the signatories
was advertised in newspapers on December 13. |
| December 18 |
Lu Jianhua was found guilty of
the espionage charge by the Beijing Second Intermediate
People’s Court and sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Lu immediately filed an appeal. |
| December 19 |
Ching’s family sent a letter to
the Chief Executive Donald Tsang, hoping that on
his upcoming reporting trip to Beijing, he would
mention their petition and application of medical
parole to the Chinese leaders. |
| December 22 |
Ching’s family sent CE their thank
you letter during Christmas. Reply from the CE
said that “Ching’s case is firmly in my heart.
I’ll continue to do whatever I can.” |
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