Democracy movement 45 activists sentenced to prison in Hong Kong
In a controversial trial, a Hong Kong court hands down sentences against dozens of activists. The charges date back years. The judges had previously caused a stir with their decisions.
19.11.2024, 06:26
19.11.2024, 06:55
SDA
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- On Tuesday, all 45 defendants were sentenced to prison in Hong Kong's largest trial against democracy movement activists to date.
- Former law professor Benny Tai, who was identified as the mastermind, received the longest sentence of ten years in prison.
- The trial concerned unofficial primaries organized by the democracy activists for the parliamentary elections in the Chinese Special Administrative Region in 2000.
A court in Hong Kong has sentenced 45 democracy activists to prison terms of up to ten years. This was announced by the judges in the Chinese Special Administrative Region. The trial against the "Hong Kong 47" group was the largest to date for alleged violations of the controversial security law. The group of opposition activists was indicted more than three years ago. The trial lasted from February 2023 to December of the same year.
The 47 include former members of parliament, academics and activists. Among them are former student leader Joshua Wong, who received four years and eight months, and law lecturer Benny Tai, whom the court sentenced to ten years in prison. Wong and 30 other defendants had already pleaded guilty at the beginning. Of the remaining 16 defendants, the judges found 14 guilty at the end of May this year, while two were acquitted.
Prosecution for election
The "Hong Kong 47" were accused of organizing illegal primaries before the 2020 election for the Legislative Council, Hong Kong's parliament, which was later cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. In doing so, the defendants were guilty of endangering the state and violating the Security Act.
The case caused quite a stir and was criticized internationally, sometimes harshly. China has always backed the Hong Kong judges' decision. A charge of conspiracy to subvert public order could have led to a life sentence in the worst case scenario.
According to media reports, several hundred people lined up outside the court on the day the verdict was announced, including diplomats from Germany, the EU and other countries. The police cordoned off the area around the building in the Kowloon district of the former British crown colony.