Hong Kong jails 45 democracy activists in landmark national security trial

Hong Kong: Hong Kong's High Court on Tuesday sentenced 45 pro-democracy activists to jail terms of up to 10 years in a landmark national security trial that has damaged the city's once feisty democracy movement and drawn international condemnation.

A total of 47 pro-democracy activists were arrested and charged in 2021 with conspiracy to commit subversion under a Beijing-imposed national security law and had faced sentences of up to life in prison.

Benny Tai, a former legal scholar who was labelled as an "organiser" of the 47 pro-democracy activists, was sentenced to 10 years in jail. Sentences ranged from just over four years to 10 years.

The charges related to the organising of an unofficial "primary election" in 2020 to select the best candidates for an upcoming legislative election. The activists were accused by prosecutors of plotting to paralyse the government by engaging in potentially disruptive acts had they been elected.

The US has criticised the trial as "politically motivated" and said the democrats should be released as they had been "peacefully participating in political activities" that were legal.

US President-elect Donald Trump's nominee as secretary of state, Marco Rubio, has been a staunch critic of the trial and in an earlier open letter criticised the convictions of the 47 democrats as evidence of the national security law's "comprehensive assault on Hong Kong's autonomy, rule of law, and fundamental freedoms."

The Chinese and Hong Kong governments say the national security laws were necessary to restore order after mass pro-democracy protests in 2019, and the democrats have been treated in accordance with local laws.

Closely Watched Trial

Hundreds of people had queued from the early hours outside the court, many holding umbrellas in light rain as they tried to secure a seat within the main courtroom and several spillover courts.

Authorities deployed a tight police presence outside the West Kowloon Magistrates Court and for several blocks in the vicinity.

"I feel such an injustice needs witnessing," said Margaret, 59, dressed in a white raincoat and black facemask, who was in the queue since Sunday afternoon. "I've long followed their case. They (the democrats) need to know they still have public support."

After a 118 day trial, 14 of the democrats were found guilty in May, including Australian citizen Gordon Ng and activist Owen Chow, while two were acquitted.

The other 31 pleaded guilty, including student activist Joshua Wong and Tai.