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Albert Ho Chun-yan (Chinese: ???; born 1 December 1951 in Hong Kong with family roots in Zhongshan, Guangdong). He is currently the secretary general of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements in China and the new chairman of the Democratic Party (Hong Kong). He is a solicitor and a member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong.
Ho was elected to the Urban Council in 1995, and has served as a Legco member since 1998, representing geographical constituency (New Territories West). In 2004, Ho challenged Rita Fan in the Legco Presidential Election, but was unsuccessful.
Attack incident
On 20 August 2006, Ho was brazenly assaulted by three unidentified men using baseball bats and a baton[1] in a branch of McDonald's in Central, Hong Kong, after he had attended a protest against the government's plan to adopt a Goods and Services Tax. He suffered injuries to his head, arm and face, including a broken nose.[2]
Democratic Party chairman Lee Wing Tat claimed that the attack was likely to be related to a lawsuit Albert Ho was then working on and had nothing to do with politics.
Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang condemned the attack, declaring that the attackers would be pursued to the "ends of the earth". Secretary for Security Ambrose Lee also condemned it.
This was the first attack on a pro-democracy legislator since that on United Democrat Ng Ming Yam in 1985 and on Democratic Party incumbent chairman Lee Wing Tat in 1994. It was also the first attack on a LegCo member since the Handover.
On 12 October 2006, five suspects were arrested by police in Hong Kong and Zhongshan. Cheung Wing-ho, 29, Leung Kwan- ping, 44, Chan Chun-kit, 27 and Leung Fu-keung, 57, have all been charged with "wounding with intent", which carries a possible life sentence. A 56 year-old man was arrested whilst trying to board a plane.[3]
Another suspect, a 77-year-old, surnamed Lau, was on 3 November, while trying to board a ferry to Macau.[3]
However, court proceedings were adjourned until 28 November because of the continuing investigations. The defendants were refused bail, as the magistrate perceived there was a serious flight risk. According to Next Magazine (Vol 870), these men were closely associated with Stanley Ho. It was suggested that the attack was related to Albert Ho's work for a sister of Stanley Ho on a legal action against him, and that lawyers who had previously handled the lawsuit had suffered similar fates.
References
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