Hong Kong rioters wander on the street during the turmoil on August 11, 2019. They damaged public property and caused a great loss to the Hong Kong society. Photo: AFP

Ma Chun-man, a 31-year-old man dubbed as the "Captain America 2.0" who repeatedly advocated for "Hong Kong independence" in anti-government movements two years ago, was sentenced to five years and nine months in prison on Thursday, which was hailed by local legal experts as a "rightful sentence" compatible with the Basic Law. 

From August to November 2020, Ma, who usually dressed as the Marvel Comics character in street protests in Hong Kong, shouted slogans in public places many times including "Hong Kong independence" and "Hong Kong people to establish a nation," which had incited others to commit secession, according to a local ruling in October. 

In Ma Chun-man's case, there was no use of force, inflicting of physical injury or property damage. All he did was verbal dissemination of secession messages, so his acts were not as grave as Tong Ying-kit. The range of sentence is anything between 3 to 10 years and he was rightfully sentenced to 5 years and 9 months in jail, Lawrence Ma, barrister and chairman at Hong Kong Legal Exchange Foundation, told the Global Times on Thursday. 

Tong, 24, the first person convicted under the national security law, was sentenced to nine years in prison due to separatist and terrorist activities.

Secession by oral utterance is, at present, punishable under Article 20 of the national security law for Hong Kong, Lawrence Ma said.

When announcing the sentence of Ma Chun-man on Thursday, District Court judge Stanley Chan Kwong-chi said that Ma Chun-man should be sentenced to prison for at least six years as his behavior is a serious violation of the national security law, but he was sentenced three months less as the defense had not disputed the accusers.    

An expert on Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan studies told the Global Times on condition of anonymity that Ma Chun-man's case is less harmful and influential compared to Tong's. 

Five years in jail is not a short sentence. But besides the sentence, the conviction of Ma Chun-man and Tong already demonstrates that Hong Kong society is gradually adapting to the national security law, the expert noted.