Sham and three others – Kinda Li Ka-tat, Roy Tam Hoi-pong, and Henry Wong Pak-yu -were released early on Friday, a police source confirmed. They were the second batch of defendants in the high-profile case to complete their sentences.

Sham, 38, a former convenor of the now-defunct Civil Human Rights Front, was sentenced to four years and three months in prison in November 2024, with the time he spent in pre-trial detention also taken into account.

He was seen leaving Shek Pik Prison on Lantau Island under heavy police escort and also near his home in Jordan, where he reportedly arrived at around 6.30am.

“Let me spend some time with my family first, we can talk in the afternoon,” he said, nodding and smiling at reporters at the scene.

Li, Tam and Wong, who are all former district councillors, were also released around the same time – Li and Wong from Stanley Prison, Tam from Pik Uk Correctional Institution.