Preparing for Prison
Following Hong Kong social worker Jackie Chen in the days leading up to her conviction
The following is a translation of an article originally published by The Witness on April 10, 2025, the day after Hong Kong social worker Jackie Chen was sentenced to three years and nine months in prison.
I wanted to present the article in its entirety in English because it’s so good at giving a sense of what it’s like for people in Hong Kong as they prepare to go to prison. Of course, Jackie is a very particular and in many ways exceptional person, and her experience is unique, as is everyone’s, but much of what she does and thinks and says reflects what has been an all-too-common experience for Hong Kongers in these years of repression.
The sentencing on April 9 was the end of a nearly six-year-long odyssey that began when she was first arrested at a protest on August 31, 2019 and charged with “riot,” one of hundreds eventually charged with that crime in relation to the mass protests of 2019. (For an overview of the Hong Kong riot trials, see here.) She went on trial along with seven others in 2020. They were all acquitted, an astoundingly rare outcome given that 90 percent of all riot defendants in Hong Kong have been found guilty. But the Department of Justice successfully appealed the acquittals. By the time of the re-trial, which started in 2024, some of her co-defendants had left Hong Kong. The three remaining plead guilty. She plead not guilty again and stood trial alone.
The story in the article below takes place in the days leading up to the verdict on March 11. While people charged with crimes “endangering national security” are in most cases taken into custody and remanded immediately after arrest, those charged with other crimes such as “riot,” like Jackie, are usually free on bail pending completion of trial.
Jackie is now one of 1,928 political prisoners in Hong Kong since June 9, 2019.
The Witness article was accompanied by an eleven-minute video that essentially tells the same story as the article. Even if you don’t understand Cantonese, the video is worth watching, as it helps to give a more palpable sense of everything that is conveyed in words below.
Visiting others in prison
One Saturday before the verdict, a reporter accompanied Jackie to visit prisons. She set out from her home in Tai Po at around 7am, bought a bag of snacks at a convenience store, and took two buses to get to Tai Lam Correctional Institution in Tuen Mun. After that visit, she hurried to the station, took a bus out of the city, and then changed to a minibus to get to Pik Uk Prison near Sai Kung. In all, the travel time was three hours.
"Just a minute," Jackie said during one ride, taking a phone call. The conversation ended up lasting for most of the ride. After finally hanging up, she lowered her head to reply to a message. Then she turned to the reporter and said, "Sorry about that," explaining that it was about a case she had to consult on.
Jackie considered herself (and was also seen as) a workaholic. At the age of 48, she had been promoted to management in her main place of employment and frontline work was not her primary responsibility, but she insisted on following up on cases personally, in addition to which she attended to some cases outside of the agency as well as providing volunteer support for prisoners. Juggling multiple roles, she often used her time rushing from one place to another to take care of business.
After the protests, Jackie mainly helped people to prepare for prison; she rarely visited them there herself. However, in cases where the prisoner had few relatives or friends, she would try her best to fill the gap and visit the prisoner. On this day, she visited three people. "I don't have much time left now, so I want to try to visit them because if I end up going to prison myself, I won't be able to."
As the day of the verdict approached, Jackie gradually handed over her cases to colleagues and was busy writing instructions for them. "I want to brief everyone well, to make it easier for them to take over." The work continued right up to the last day before the verdict. Having worked in her current organization for six years, getting along with colleagues, becoming familiar with operations, and accompanying clients in their growth, Jackie rarely showed disappointment at perhaps not having the chance to witness the "harvest period."
Jackie returned home and collapsed on the sofa. When the alarm rang, she opened her eyes and continued working. Although she was tired, she said she liked this feeling of “self-abuse." “I don't think too much when I am busy. I live in the present. As long as I can go about and do all this, I should do as much as I can."
During the prison visits, in addition to bringing snacks, Jackie wanted to find out more about the details of prison life. One day, it suddenly occurred to her that sharp tools were not allowed in prison, so how could she cut her nails? The answer came from the other side of the glass window: the prison would lend her nail clippers. The prisoner was aware of what she had in mind and joked, "See you inside on the 12th (the day after the verdict)."
Jackie didn't find it an inauspicious remark; instead, she experienced a small internal conflict: If she was found guilty, she wouldn't feel that guilty; in fact, the opposite: if she was acquitted, she’d feel guilty towards her friends inside. "There are always a lot of people in there—how can I be fine? If I win, it will be a big loss. If I win, it will feel like I am no longer in the same league."
But does one have to go to prison to be considered “in the same league”? Seeing the reporter's confused expression, Jackie continued, "It's not rational. The rational thought is, I shouldn’t be in this trouble at all. But I have found that in my position, there are some very strange, very contradictory, and even very absurd thoughts."
Holding a prison orientation session for family and friends
With one month to go before the verdict, the upper bunk of the bed in Jackie’s living room was filled with boxes which her roommate Ah Si (pseudonym) urged her to pack during Lunar New Year. Jackie slept in the lower bunk. On the floor were bundles of books, 100 in all, that she planned to read while in prison.
Ah Si was originally Jackie’s subordinate at work. As they got to know each other, they formed a partnership. Later, after Jackie’s father passed away and her younger brother got married and emigrated, she moved back home to take care of her mother and let Ah Si rent the extra room in her flat. The two have contrasting personalities: Ah Si is careful and good in the kitchen; Jackie is reckless and seldom cooks. Ah Si said, "She is really not brave enough to cook." But the two had taken care of each other for more than ten years and had long regarded each other as family. Jackie decided that when she went to prison, she would entrust her mother to Ah Si's care.
In front of the camera, Jackie always acted fine, but behind the camera, Ah Si worried that she was suppressing her emotions. However, she found that Jackie really was "calm, up to a point." Even though she faced the pressure of the trial, had to report to the police regularly, and could not go on staycations (she had to report to the police before staying out overnight), she still managed to live her life. Her friends were more upset than she was at her predicament.
Jackie held an online “prison orientation session” with her relatives and friends. She faced the screen, with her beloved dog Cracker snuggling beside her. Jackie talked about the prison admission process in a very straight-forward manner, discussing issues like how to order newspapers and apply for a radio. "Every time I prepare others, I myself learn something new that I can use to prepare myself for the future."
Having witnessed large numbers of defendants in protest-related trials being imprisoned in recent years, Jackie found it hard to imagine that she would be an exception. She estimated it would take half a year to adapt to prison life. She also said that there might be many people in prison who wanted to talk to social workers and joked that she would need paper and pen to "open case files."
When it came to snacks, Jackie got excited and said that she liked chocolate. "No beef jerky, I don't eat beef... pork jerky and peanuts are OK." Ah Si was upset with her and thought, "Is that something worth getting excited about?"
When talking about writing a mitigation letter [to the judge, for the mitigation hearing where the defendant has an opportunity to present to the judge any information or views that may affect the judge’s sentencing], Jackie spoke more slowly and said, "It's not easy to write about whether I was wrong or I regret it. In fact, it's really just a ‘character certification letter.’.. But my case is a bit unusual, so it doesn't matter if I don't write one at all." [In the end, Jackie did write one. You can read it here.]
There were still a lot of issues to be attended to. Jackie said she discussed the mortgage and utility bills with her brother. Other responsibilities—coordinating prison visits, arranging hospital visits, delivering supplies, opening a post office box, taking Cracker for walks—she had to ask her friends to cover. When friends and relatives worried about how to ensure that her needs would be met, Jackie reassured them, saying it was normal that sometimes some things got neglected. She put her hands together and said, "Even if some things take time, I can't let it go. I'm learning how to be mindful and take a break." The only thing that worried her was treatment for her hyperthyroidism, but she joked that she would not be idle in prison but would bug the Correctional Services Department to arrange her doctor’s visits.
"You've been talking about getting convicted for so long. Are there any arrangements for not being convicted?" asked her younger brother, who had moved overseas, during the Q&A session. Jackie paused for a few seconds, then explained that if she was found not guilty, the Department of Justice might appeal. "If they do not appeal, I will come to visit you." She then reminded everyone, "Remember, you have to have a 20/80 mentality, that is, 20% we win and 80% we lose. This will help you be mentally prepared."
Jackie said that she’d seldom burdened others with her troubles in the past, but because she had seen a lot, she understood that being remanded in custody meant losing personal freedom. "Even taking Cracker for a walk—I can't do it. So now, I have to learn to accept people's kindness and help, because there are many things I can't do myself on the inside." Rather than her own needs, this briefing was more like Jackie helping those around her to get used to the situation. "On the one hand, I want to reassure everyone that these things are being attended to, because they really don't know anything and they really want to know. But on the other hand, I also want to remind them that it will be such a long time, and how can they not overlook something?"
After closing the laptop, she petted sleepy-eyed Cracker and said it was the only one who was in the dark and unprepared.
A last outing with her mother
Although she had promised to spend the week before the verdict with her family, Jackie ended up spending three nights at work. But she did not forget her appointment with her family in Sai Kung. Taking advantage of the good weather, she put aside her work and went on a boat ride with her mother and Ah Si. They had a seafood meal and took Cracker for a walk.
Jackie always felt guilty when talking about her family and called herself "unfilial." "Some friends are angry with me because I only think about myself all day long and never think about my family. I just do what I want to do."
She graduated from university with a degree in engineering. Once, she observed social workers working with clients and decided to change her career. In the aftermath of the Wenchuan earthquake, she volunteered, flying to Sichuan after work every Friday and returned to Hong Kong on Tuesdays.
During the 2019 protests, she was frequently at the scene and was hit by tear gas and pepper spray. She was finally arrested in Wan Chai and charged with participating in a riot. At the first trial, the judge ruled that the prosecution’s evidence was not established and Jackie didn’t need to defend herself. She anticipated that the Department of Justice would appeal and her travel documents might be withheld. Without telling her family, she decided to stay.
During the retrial, whenever Jackie talked about going to prison, her mother scolded her, saying that the Bodhisattva had blessed her and she "sensed" that she would fine. She sometimes teased her: "It’s as if you really want to go to jail." Jackie took great pains to explain that it was not her choice; how could anyone want to go to jail?
But her conscience was pricked. Jackie said that whenever she heard that people inside did not receive letters, or when she wrote mitigation letters for others and heard their stories, she would think, "Am I not doing enough? Should I do more?" She said that it would be easier if she was also convicted.
Jackie’s first thought was always for her mother. When she talked to her friends about arrangements after being imprisoned, the first thing that came up was her mother's glaucoma surgery. The journey to the prison would be long, and she was most worried that if her mother insisted on going, she would not be able to make it. As she said in her mitigation letter, she felt deeply guilty about her 75-year-old mother and was worried that she would not receive proper care. "If anything unexpected happened, I would regret it for the rest of my life. Even though many people say that I am a good social worker, I am indeed an unfilial daughter."
Jackie does not want to leave Hong Kong but suggested that her mother go abroad to visit her brother. "I would be worried and nervous every time she visited me, which is not good. Sometimes out of sight is out of mind. Maybe she can go there and have fun playing with her grandchildren."
Her mother said she would wait for her daughter to get out, but in the next breath brought up the past, saying that Jackie had often ignored her calls. Jackie shouted, "Unjustly accused," and, "At work you really can't answer the phone." Her mother also "complained" that when her daughter was acquitted at the original trial, Jackie did not hug her immediately at such a happy moment but looked for other people. Jackie was both angry and amused and said that she didn't approach her because she was worried her mother would be recognized. The two jokingly agreed to arrange hospital visits on the same day so that they could "meet by chance" in the hospital lobby. But after thinking about it, Jackie felt that was not a good idea, as she was afraid that her mother would be heartbroken when she saw her shackles.
When talking about the "absurd" thoughts in her mind, Jackie said with a smile that she couldn't let her relatives and friends know. Just remember to smile and say goodbye.
Last meal before the verdict
As the verdict approached, Jackie managed to arrange everything. She met family and friends, cut her long hair and got plastic-framed glasses.
Her to-do list to prepare for prison was almost complete. She looked through her closet, only to find that most of her clothes either had strings or buttons, neither of which complied with prison rules. In order to avoid the trouble of removing the items, after she got off work late one night, she found the only store that was still open and bought a white sweatshirt with the words, "Odd little lives we all live. At least we are doing it together."
On the day of the verdict, Jackie met relatives and friends, including director Kiwi Chow, to have a "last lunch" near the court. She said that she had known Kiwi for a long time and had been through a lot with him. She felt that things had not been easy for him, but he was still able to live a normal life. "I just look at him and marvel at how he lives every day with a normal heart."
During the meal, Jackie appeared relaxed. She laughed heartily when talking to her friends about her new hairstyle. She also said that many of her friends couldn't sleep the night before, but she slept very well. Her mother and Ah Si listened silently with a hint of worry. Jackie said that her mother, who had always said "nothing will happen," was now more concerned about the arrangements for prison, which she thought was a good thing. "I believe my mother should face it. Many family members sob when it happens but are very strong afterwards and work hard to survive for the sake of their family members behind bars."
What she feared the most was that she wouldn’t be able to stop crying. “I’m always short-sighted. I usually don’t cry over my own affairs. I usually cry after seeing people becoming emotional... I just want to say goodbye with a smile.”
The verdict
Everyone in the courtroom held their breath. The judge spoke in a low voice and did not read out the verdict, only saying, "Guilty; remand in custody." The spectators were stunned. Before they could come to their senses, Jackie was already looking towards the gallery, discerning their emotions, fearing they would be sad. She took off her jewelry and handed it to her relatives and friends, and before entering the detention room, she shouted with a smile, "It’s nothing! Don't worry! Take care of yourselves!" Everything was done so skillfully, as if it had been rehearsed countless times in her mind.
Jackie was sentenced to 3 years and 9 months in prison. Her sentence can be reduced by one-third for good conduct, in which case she could be release as early as November 2027.