Hong Kong’s anti-corruption body charged two men and one woman on Thursday for allegedly reposting online posts inciting a boycott of the upcoming Legislative Council election, and issued warrants to the two original publishers.

The central government office on national security in Hong Kong has warned of “zero tolerance” over acts interfering with or disrupting the legislative poll.

The defendants – Lam Kin-sik, 66, unemployed; Bonney Ma Wai-ling, 61, housewife; and Wong Kin-kwok, 55, air-conditioning engineer – were arrested by Independent Commission Against Corruption officers on Nov 14. Each of them faces one count of engaging in illegal conduct by inciting others not to vote or cast invalid votes through public activity between Oct 24 and Nov 14.

At West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts on Thursday, Presiding Magistrate Gary Chu Man-hon granted each of the defendants HK$1,000 bail ($128), and adjourned all three cases to Jan 15 at the defense's request, allowing time for document collection and legal advice preparation.

The defendants are prohibited from leaving Hong Kong, must reside at their reported addresses, and must surrender their travel documents.

The ICAC also successfully applied for warrants for the arrest of Keung Ka-wai, 34, and Tong Wai-hung, 44, the original post publishers, who have left Hong Kong. The duo face two counts of engaging in illegal conduct to incite another person not to vote by activity in public during the election period.

ALSO READ: Attempts to undermine HK's LegCo poll 'will be dealt with fiercely'

In a separate operation, the National Security Department of the Hong Kong Police Force arrested a 68-year-old man on Nov 18, who was also charged on Thursday morning for knowingly publishing seditious publications under the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, alongside election-related offences.

The ICAC strongly condemned anyone who attempts to interfere with and undermine the current LegCo Election by circulating messages online to incite others not to vote, and urged members of the public to strictly adhere to the law and distinguish the truth to avoid being fooled and exploited by lawbreakers.

On the same day, a spokesperson of the Office for Safeguarding National Security of the Central People’s Government of the People’s Republic of China in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region criticized some external forces and anti-China disruptors who attempt to destabilize Hong Kong, for covertly and overtly inciting a boycott of the election, and agitating for activities, online and offline, to disrupt Hong Kong under the guise of democracy and freedom.

The Office stressed the importance of electoral security and, adopting a “zero tolerance” attitude, vowed to resolutely defend election security and maintain order, and firmly support the SAR in fully and accurately implementing the HKSAR National Security Law, the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, and other relevant legal statutes.

Since the election period began, the HKSAR government has been organizing election activities, such as forums, “lawfully and in an orderly manner”, with candidates actively promoting their political beliefs and engaging in rational debate, the spokesperson said.  

The broad enthusiastic participation and healthy competition, the Office said, allow the election to return to its essential purpose of selecting talented and capable individuals and fully showcasing the progress of Hong Kong's high-quality democracy.

READ MORE: LegCo polling to last 16 hours, with designated stations for spl groups

“We will severely punish, in accordance with the law, behavior and activities that interfere with and disrupt the election and endanger national security, and resolutely safeguard the smooth conduct of the election and protect Hong Kong's advancement of high-quality development through high-quality democracy,” the spokesperson said.

This is the second recent statement in a week from the Office concerning the LegCo election, following a similar warning issued on Nov 14 against what it described as “attacks, smears, rumors, and slander” aimed at the poll.

“The election is a major event for Hong Kong society that is closely related to local residents,” said Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu, in a Facebook post on Monday.

He urged voters to participate in the election.

“The election atmosphere is continuously heating up,” Lee wrote, as he called on voters to cast their ballots on Dec 7 to “elect capable and aspiring patriots who love the country and Hong Kong”.

Lee pledged to better implement the “patriots administering Hong Kong” principle to guarantee its smooth operation.

Contact the writer at stacyshi@chinadailyhk.com