Hong Kong Democratic Party politician Lam Cheuk Ting published video footage on Tuesday morning backing up the claims of a 62-year-old “Mr. Chung,” who said he was beaten and tortured by Hong Kong police officers following his late night arrest on June 25.
The clip, which condenses around 22 minutes of security video into nearly nine minutes of relevant footage, shows two officers repeatedly hitting the elderly man in the groin, head and abdomen while he lies strapped to a bed. At one point, Chung’s shirt is stuffed into his mouth for approximately 10 seconds.
A third officer appears in the video around the 4:42 timestamp and appears to put a momentary end to the abuse.
Footage may be upsetting to some viewers.
Lam, who is also a former investigator with Hong Kong’s Independent Commission Against Corruption, debuted the footage during a press conference that was also livestreamed via his public figure page on Facebook.
“I want these crazy officers imprisoned,” the victim’s youngest son said during the Tuesday briefing, according to the Hong Kong Free Press’ translation. “I want justice.”
The politician said North District Hospital confirmed three officers were present at the time of the shown footage.
Both sons recalled their father telling them an officer told him, “You have peed your clothes, eat your pee.”
“The police top brass has to be very concerned about the mental status of officers. Are these people suitable to be on duty or to be police officers? I believe the public must have their answers,” Lam noted during the conference. The politician also demanded Hong Kong police officials suspend all three officers seen in the video.
In Hong Kong, those convicted of torture can face up to life imprisonment.
Chung, a Sheung Shui resident, was arrested around 11 p.m. on June 25 for assault on a police officer while intoxicated. Upon his detention, he was sent to the North District Hospital’s psychiatric ward, where he was then strapped to a bed.
