Information for people recently arrested who wish to take part in Fr John's anti-drug campaign:
(Portuguese translation here)
1. Everyone, local as well as overseas inmates, is welcome to take part in the campaign. No one is obliged to take part in the campaign, but everyone is welcome to take part. If by chance this is not your first time to be in detention in HK, please check with me before doing anything for the campaign.
2. The main aim of the campaign is to stop
people from drug trafficking to/in
3. The way to take part in the campaign is to
write letters for Fr John's websites. These letters are then linked to blogs and
media in other countries and in HK. This publicity helps stop people from drug
trafficking to/in HK.
Over the past few years this campaign has been very successful in helping to
stop drug mules coming to HK from
4. Letters should describe the way you were recruited/tricked/coerced into drug trafficking.
5. Letters should not mention any names/details that might endanger yourself or your family. Fr John will not publish your name or prison number. He will delete these from your letters.
6. Letters should contain a warning to other people not to get involved in drug trafficking, pointing out the sadness etc of being in detention ...sadness for yourself and your family.
7. If you don't want anyone to recognize your handwriting, disguise it by printing or using a different style.
8. Letters should be written in clear writing that can easily be read. Letters can be written in any language. If you can also send an English translation with any letter not written in English, that is good. You can ask others to help you with translation.
9. Leave a space around the four sides of each page you write on. If you write too close to the edges, your letter is more difficult to scan for putting on the internet.
10. Letters should focus only on the anti-drug campaign, and not criticize CSD.
11. Ask your family to take part in the
campaign by putting material on Facebook etc warning people about the danger of
drug trafficking to/in
12. If your family puts something on Facebook etc, ask them to send a printscreen copy of their posting to Fr John so he can use this when he writes a support letter for you when you go to the High Court for sentencing. Fr John's email: jdwomi@gmail.com
13. Fr John's support letter can only be used at the High Court. At lower courts, judges will not accept such letters.
14. Send at least 3 campaign letters to Fr John .... one a month for 3 or so months. Just one letter is not enough. Best not to say anything in a campaign letter which contradicts your statements to authorities.
15. Start writing early ... don't wait till just before you are sentenced in the High Court. That is too late. Fr John needs to submit his support letter to your legal team several weeks before your case is heard at the High Court.
16. Please let Fr John know your trial date and the names of your legal team and the name of your judge as soon as you know these details.
17. Usually, but not always, a judge will give a slight discount (3 months) to people who take part in Fr John's campaign. Most judges give a discount. But some don't. Fr John cannot guarantee you will get a discount. But your effort is not wasted: it will help stop others getting into the world of drugs.
18. If you don't get a discount at your trial
in the High Court, it might be possible to ask the Court of Appeal for a
discount. After you are sentenced, you have 28 days in which to appeal to the
Court of Appeal (if you have pleaded guilty).
19. Try to give as much information as you can to the HK authorities about the people who recruited/sent you from your own country & the people who were due to meet you in HK. If not dangerous for you or your family, ask your family to help get information (especially from Facebook etc). Do this as soon as you can. Don't wait till a few weeks before your trial to start doing this....it often needs months to do! If you did not give information to HK authorities at the time of your arrest, and/or you have new information, you can ask for Customs/police to visit you and you can give them a "non-prejudicial statement".
20. Even if this information does not lead to the arrest of anyone in HK or other places, the fact that you made the statement can often help you receive a mitigation discount when you are sentenced. New information is also ground for an appeal, even an appeal "out of time" - using a form called "Information to Authorities". So, your sentence at the High Court is not "game over". If after your sentencing you or your family can obtain more information for the authorities, you can appeal for a reduction of sentence.
21. Be careful about pleading "not guilty" if you don't have enough information to support your plea. If you lose a "not guilty" plea you will not receive a 1/3 discount for pleading guilty.
22. After you are sentenced, you and your family are welcome to keep helping the campaign ... not to get a (further) reduction in sentence, but to stop people going to prison. This is something most worthwhile.
23. All campaign letters (in all languages) for Fr John should be posted to:
Fr John
P.O. Box 74013
Kowloon
24. Messages for your family can be
sent to:
Mr M. Li
P.O. Box 34823
King's Road Post Office
Hong Kong.
Mr Li will W/App or email message to your family, and then print/post replies to you.
25. Whenever you write to Fr John or Mr Li or other friends in HK, please put your prison address. Sometimes inmates write and it's not clear which prison they are in! Please also put a date on your letter!
26. Dear Jesus, you were once in prison and you said that anyone who visits someone in prison visits you. Please give all inmates strength and courage for each day. Please help them use their detention time for study and other worthwhile activities. Please give them hope to look forward to the time when they will be released and will be with their families once again. Please protect and help their families. Please move the hearts of the Drug Lords to stop their evil trade. Please bless all judges and lawyers. Amen!
====