A prominent Hong Kong popstar who was charged with corruption for singing at an election rally of a pro-democracy politician agreed to a good behaviour order on Thursday in return for prosecutors dropping their case.

Anthony Wong Yiu-ming, a local Cantopop singer and one of the city's most visible LGBTQ activists, was arrested by the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) on Monday.

The 59-year-old and former lawmaker Au Nok-hin were charged with engaging in corrupt conduct by providing "entertainment to induce others to vote for the candidate" at a rally Au held on March 3, 2018, in the run-up to local legislature elections.

The arrests came as Hong Kong authorities carry out a widespread crackdown on dissent following huge and often violent pro-democracy protests two years ago.

At a court hearing on Thursday, prosecutors agreed to settle the case against both Wong and Au by imposing a bind-over order.

Used in some common law jurisdictions, a bind-over order covers minor offences and allows prosecutors to drop a case in return for the accused promising to maintain good behaviour for a designated period of time.

Wong and Au were bound over for a period of 18 months and ordered to pay HK$2,000 (US$257).

At the hearing, prosecutors said there was no evidence Wong had been paid for his performance or was told by Au to endorse him.&nbsp;

While Wong walked free without a criminal record, Au was returned to prison where he is currently serving a 10-month sentence for taking part in democracy protests.&nbsp;

He is also one of dozens of democracy activists facing life in prison after being charged under a new security law Beijing imposed on Hong Kong to snuff out dissent.&nbsp;

Wong rose to fame in the 1980s and became one of the first local celebrities to publicly reveal his LGBTQ status in 2012.

He is one of a handful of Hong Kong celebrities willing to criticise Beijing and support democracy -- a stance that means he is blacklisted on the Chinese mainland.

Outside court, Wong serenaded reporters with an old Cantonese song about honesty.

"Hong Kongers, hang in there," he said afterwards.

A prominent Hong Kong popstar who was charged with corruption for singing at an election rally of a pro-democracy politician agreed to a good behaviour order on Thursday in return for prosecutors dropping their case.

A prominent Hong Kong popstar who was charged with corruption for singing at an election rally of a pro-democracy politician agreed to a good behaviour order on Thursday in return for prosecutors dropping their case. Anthony Wong Yiu-ming, a local Cantopop singer and one of the city's most visible LGBTQ activists, was arrested by the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) on Monday. The 59-year-old and former lawmaker Au Nok-hin were charged with engaging in corrupt conduct by providing "entertainment to induce others to vote for the candidate" at a rally Au held on March 3, 2018, in the run-up to local legislature elections. The arrests came as Hong Kong authorities carry out a widespread crackdown on dissent following huge and often violent pro-democracy protests two years ago. At a court hearing on Thursday, prosecutors agreed to settle the case against both Wong and Au by imposing a bind-over order. Used in some common law jurisdictions, a bind-over order covers minor offences and allows prosecutors to drop a case in return for the accused promising to maintain good behaviour for a designated period of time. Wong and Au were bound over for a period of 18 months and ordered to pay HK$2,000 (US$257). At the hearing, prosecutors said there was no evidence Wong had been paid for his performance or was told by Au to endorse him. While Wong walked free without a criminal record, Au was returned to prison where he is currently serving a 10-month sentence for taking part in democracy protests. He is also one of dozens of democracy activists facing life in prison after being charged under a new security law Beijing imposed on Hong Kong to snuff out dissent. Wong rose to fame in the 1980s and became one of the first local celebrities to publicly reveal his LGBTQ status in 2012. He is one of a handful of Hong Kong celebrities willing to criticise Beijing and support democracy -- a stance that means he is blacklisted on the Chinese mainland. Outside court, Wong serenaded reporters with an old Cantonese song about honesty. "Hong Kongers, hang in there," he said afterwards.

Hong Kong singer on behaviour order after rally song arrest

Hong Kong singer and activist Denise Ho wants US&nbsp;lawmakers and companies to criticize Beijing's actions in Hong Kong, to help change the Chinese Communist Party's behavior.

Ho told Reuters on Monday that Beijing was using its power and influence to quash dissent around the world, and urged businesses who invest in China and Hong Kong, a former British colony, to robustly support human rights and democracy.

The Chinese territory has been rocked by more than three months of sometimes violent clashes, with demonstrators angry about what they see as creeping interference by Beijing in Hong Kong's affairs, despite a promise of autonomy. Beijing is exporting its authoritarian values around the world, Ho said.

"The only way to counter this global suppression is by hitting (China) where it really hurts," she said. "The Communist government doesn't care about anything other than the economy. They don't care about human rights and they don't care about these universal values that we do have."

"We see businesses profiting" in China, she said. "There are a lot of U.S. companies that have been based in Shenzhen, and they have turned a blind eye to this issue, to these human issues."

China has denounced the protests and accused the United States and Britain of interfering in its affairs in Hong Kong. It has sent clear warnings that forceful intervention is possible.

Ho will testify with Joshua Wong, secretary-general of Hong Kong's Demosisto party and leader of the "Umbrella Movement," and other activists in Congress on Tuesday at an event hosted by the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC).

U.S. lawmakers are fine-tuning a bipartisan bill that would require an annual review of the special treatment Washington gives Hong Kong, including trade and business privileges, under the U.S. Hong Kong Policy Act of 1992.

The Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act would also make officials in China and Hong Kong, who have undermined the city's autonomy, vulnerable to sanctions.

President Donald Trump, who has been waging a tit-for-tat tariff war with China for more than a year, has suggested China should "humanely" settle the problem before a trade deal is reached.

Credit rating agency Moody's on Monday lowered its outlook on Hong Kong's rating to negative from stable, reflecting what it called the rising risk of "an erosion in the strength of Hong Kong's institutions" amid the city's ongoing protests.

Ho said the trade war had offered a "protective shield" for the people of Hong Kong, sheltering them from a violent Beijing crackdown, such as the deployment of troops.

Industry groups worry that the bill threatens fragile U.S.-China trade talks, but Ho said passage would send a powerful signal to other countries and reaffirm U.S. leadership in the world.

"I believe that Hong Kong is in the front lines of this very global fight for humanity itself," she said.

Hong Kong singer and activist Denise Ho wants US lawmakers and companies to criticize Beijing's actions in Hong Kong, to help change the Chinese Communist Party's behavior.

Hong Kong singer and activist Denise Ho wants US lawmakers and companies to criticize Beijing's actions in Hong Kong, to help change the Chinese Communist Party's behavior. Ho told Reuters on Monday that Beijing was using its power and influence to quash dissent around the world, and urged businesses who invest in China and Hong Kong, a former British colony, to robustly support human rights and democracy. The Chinese territory has been rocked by more than three months of sometimes violent clashes, with demonstrators angry about what they see as creeping interference by Beijing in Hong Kong's affairs, despite a promise of autonomy. Beijing is exporting its authoritarian values around the world, Ho said. "The only way to counter this global suppression is by hitting (China) where it really hurts," she said. "The Communist government doesn't care about anything other than the economy. They don't care about human rights and they don't care about these universal values that we do have." "We see businesses profiting" in China, she said. "There are a lot of U.S. companies that have been based in Shenzhen, and they have turned a blind eye to this issue, to these human issues." China has denounced the protests and accused the United States and Britain of interfering in its affairs in Hong Kong. It has sent clear warnings that forceful intervention is possible. Ho will testify with Joshua Wong, secretary-general of Hong Kong's Demosisto party and leader of the "Umbrella Movement," and other activists in Congress on Tuesday at an event hosted by the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC). U.S. lawmakers are fine-tuning a bipartisan bill that would require an annual review of the special treatment Washington gives Hong Kong, including trade and business privileges, under the U.S. Hong Kong Policy Act of 1992. The Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act would also make officials in China and Hong Kong, who have undermined the city's autonomy, vulnerable to sanctions. President Donald Trump, who has been waging a tit-for-tat tariff war with China for more than a year, has suggested China should "humanely" settle the problem before a trade deal is reached. Credit rating agency Moody's on Monday lowered its outlook on Hong Kong's rating to negative from stable, reflecting what it called the rising risk of "an erosion in the strength of Hong Kong's institutions" amid the city's ongoing protests. Ho said the trade war had offered a "protective shield" for the people of Hong Kong, sheltering them from a violent Beijing crackdown, such as the deployment of troops. Industry groups worry that the bill threatens fragile U.S.-China trade talks, but Ho said passage would send a powerful signal to other countries and reaffirm U.S. leadership in the world. "I believe that Hong Kong is in the front lines of this very global fight for humanity itself," she said.

Stand up to Beijing, Hong Kong singer tells US lawmakers, companies

Prominent activist Denise Ho brought the issue of protests in Hong Kong to the United Nations in Geneva on Monday, saying China was tightening its grip on the territory and that its autonomy and democratic freedoms were slipping away. Beijing's delegation twice interrupted singer and producer Ho, who is banned in mainland China, as she was delivering her speech, invoking "point of order".

Hong Kong singer-activist brings protest to UN rights body, urges action

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Hong Kong singer on behaviour order after rally song arrest

Stand up to Beijing, Hong Kong singer tells US lawmakers, companies

Hong Kong singer-activist brings protest to UN rights body, urges action