The city’s pro-democracy icons receive jail sentences under national security law, In the biggest move by Hong Kong’s contentious national security law (NSL), 45 pro-democracy activists including prominent ones such as Joshua Wong and Benny Tai were given jail sentences on Tuesday.
The group, called the “Hong Kong 47,” has been charged with trying to overthrow the government for its role in planning an unofficial primary election in 2020 to choose opposition candidates for Legislative Council seats. Two members were acquitted this year, but the others were convicted or pleaded guilty on charges of conspiring to subvert state power.
The 2020 primary, which attracted more than half a million voters, was intended to challenge Beijing’s sway and endorse pro-democracy candidates. But the authorities countered that the initiative ran afoul of the NSL, passed just days before the event.
The judges ruled that the plan had the possibility of sparking a constitutional crisis if successful. Many defendants, including lawmakers, activists, and professionals, had been detained for nearly two years since early 2021.
Joshua Wong, another internationally renowned activist who gained popularity after the 2014 Umbrella Movement, got a term of four years and eight months. Wong remained stiff after several imprisonments, and reiterated that he remains committed to democracy.
“Radical grass-roots leader” Benny Tai, a law professor who was one of the initiators of the 2014 Occupy Central protests, was handed 10 years. Beijing has often attacked Tai as a “hardcore troublemaker.”
Other inmates include former lawmaker Leung Kwok-hung, known for his theatrical protests, and journalist-turned-legislator Claudia Mo, who played a key role in Hong Kong’s opposition politics. Both were given severe prison terms, indicating the widespread nature of the crackdown on dissent. Mo had resigned en masse with other lawmakers in 2020 protesting Beijing’s increased grip on Hong Kong.
Jimmy Sham, an influential LGBTQ and pro-democracy activist, was given over four years. Despite numerous attacks and injunctions, Sham had been a fervent campaigner for civil rights-the legalization of gay marriages in Hong Kong, particularly.
Journalist-turned-politician Gwyneth Ho, who rose to prominence for her bravery during the 2019 protests, received seven years in prison. Sham’s trial underscores the reality for activists under China’s iron grip.
The sentences mark a critical turning point in Hong Kong’s political landscape, effectively silencing some of its most prominent voices. Rights groups and international observers have condemned the verdicts as a blow to Hong Kong’s freedoms and autonomy under the “one country, two systems” framework, raising further concerns about the erosion of democratic rights in the region.