Ricky Or Yiu-lam 柯耀林

Ricky Or Yiu Lam is a Hong Kong politician who served as a Sai Kung District Councillor from 2004 to 2011 and from 2019 to 2021. He also served as the former Chairperson of The Concern Group for Tseung Kwan O People’s Livelihood (將軍澳民生關注組) and former convenor of the Community Alliance (區政聯盟). [1]

In 2003, Or won a seat in Sai Kung District Council in Kwong Ming (廣明) as a first-time, independent candidate against the incumbent pro-Beijing candidate. Or was a member of the Democratic Party (香港民主黨). [2] He ran alongside Emily Lau Wai-hing (劉慧卿), the former Chairperson of the Democratic Party, in three consecutive Legislative Council elections in 2004, 2008, and 2012, and helped Lau secure a seat. [3][4]

In 2018, Or left the Democratic Party following internal conflicts regarding his role within the party. The Concern Group for Tseung Kwan O People’s Livelihood, which he chaired, was officially listed as a “participating political group,” creating a situation where Or were forced to choose between their party affiliation or continuing their leadership within the group. This conflict led Or to resign from the Democratic Party to focus on his work with the Concern Group. [5]

Following the 2019 protests, Or and his colleague Luk Ping-Choi (陸平才) proposed a motion to name two new parks after deceased protesters Chan Yin-lam (陳彥霖), 15, and Chow Tsz-lok (周梓樂), 22, as a tribute to their sacrifice. Many people believed that the police’s actions directly contributed to their deaths. However, the motion was rejected, with critics arguing that it was disrespectful to the deceased. [6]

In July 2020, Or participated in the pro-democracy primary election for the New Territories East constituency as an independent candidate. [7] He was among over 50 pro-democracy figures arrested on Jan. 6, 2021, under Hong Kong’s National Security Law for participating in or organizing the election. 47 of them were officially charged with conspiracy to commit subversion on Feb. 28, 2021. [8] Or was released on bail on March 13, 2021, while most of his co-defendants remained detained. [9]

On Oct. 8, 2021, Or and over a dozen pro-democracy district councilors lost their seats after the government ruled their oaths as invalid. [10] As district councilors are subject to a loyalty pledge after a new law was passed in the opposition-free Legislative Council in May 2021.[11]

The trial commenced on Feb. 6, 2023, where Or pleaded not guilty. [12] He was convicted on May 30, 2024, and has been detained since then, awaiting sentencing. [13] On Nov. 19, 2024, Or was sentenced to 6 years and 7 months in prison with a mitigating factor considering his community service as a District Councilor. [14]

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