Kalvin Ho Kai-ming is a former vice chairperson of the Hong Kong Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood (ADPL; 香港民主民生協進會) and served as a member of the Sham Shui Po District Council for Nam Cheong East (南昌東) from 2016 to 2021. [1] Ho graduated from the City University of Hong Kong with a Bachelor of Social Science in Sociology. Together with his colleague Sze Tak-loy, chairman of the ADPL, Ho was among the Hong Kong 47 who were charged with violating the National Security Law as organizers or participants of a pro-democracy camp primary in July 2020. He pleaded not guilty to the charge, which resulted in comparatively heavier sentences of 6 years and 7 months. [2]

Ho first joined the Civic Party (公民黨) as a researcher while studying in secondary school. He joined the ADPL in 2013 to focus on district services. He was first elected to the Sham Shui Po District Council in the 2015 elections and was re-elected in 2019 when the citywide pro-democracy movement broke out. [3]

In July 2020, Ho participated in the pro-democracy primaries for the Legislative Council, representing the ADPL in the Kowloon West constituency. On Jan. 6, 2021, Ho and 54 other activists under the National Security Law were arrested for participating in or organizing the election. [4] Of those arrested, 47 individuals, including Ho, were officially charged with conspiracy to commit subversion on Feb. 28, 2021. [5]

He was granted bail on March 15, 2024, with a HK$30,000 bail and stringent conditions, including reporting to the police station 4 times a week and handing in all traveling documents. [6] Ho decided to resign as vice-chairman of ADPL on March 17, 2021. On July 10, 2021, He stepped down from his district councilor role as the government announced plans to recover salaries and allowances from district councilors who failed to meet the new oath-taking requirements. [7] The announcement triggered a wave of resignations from more than 200 district councilors, which made up half of the pro-democracy camp representation. [8]

In the Hong Kong 47 trial, Ho pleaded not guilty to the charge brought against him. [9] The Judges considered him an active participant in the primary election with a starting point of sentencing set as 7 years, [10] and found Ho to be “unreliable and dishonest” as they believed he was well aware of plans to veto government budgets. [11] Ultimately, Ho was sentenced to 6 years and 7 months in prison on Nov. 19, 2024. [12]