World News

14 Pro-Democracy Activists Convicted in Hong Kong’s Largest National Security Case by Court



A group of 14 pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong were convicted by a court on Thursday in a significant national security case, which is considered the city’s largest under a law imposed by Beijing that has essentially eliminated public dissent.

The individuals found guilty include former lawmakers Leung Kwok-hung, Lam Cheuk-ting, Helena Wong, and Raymond Chan. However, former district councilors Lee Yue-shun and Lawrence Lau were acquitted by the three judges appointed by the government to oversee the case. The convicted activists could potentially face a life sentence.

These individuals were part of a larger group of 47 democracy advocates who were prosecuted in 2021 for participating in an unofficial primary election. Prosecutors alleged that they were trying to disrupt Hong Kong’s government and overthrow the city’s leader by securing the necessary legislative majority to block budgets indiscriminately.

Observers view this subversion case as a clear example of how the security law is being used to suppress political opposition in the aftermath of the massive anti-government protests in 2019. On the other hand, both the Beijing and Hong Kong governments argue that the law has restored stability to the city and that judicial independence is being preserved.



Source link

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.