Hong Kong authorities on Tuesday sentenced 45 prominent democracy activists to up to 10 years in prison for violating a sweeping national security law imposed by China on the region.
Activists are accused of agreeing to an indiscriminate veto of the government’s proposed budget after securing a majority to force the dissolution of parliament and the eventual ouster of city leaders. There is.
Of the 47 people indicted, 31 pleaded guilty to conspiracy to subvert, and the remaining 14 were convicted at trial. The other two were acquitted.
This thorough crackdown drew criticism from Western countries. Australia, whose citizens were among those sentenced, objected to authorities in Hong Kong and Beijing over the move.
Hong Kong journalists found guilty of sedition in China’s crackdown on press freedom: Report
Hong Kong police arrested 47 democracy activists, 45 of whom were sentenced to up to 10 years in prison. (AP Photo/Billy HC Kwok)
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said the Australian government was “gravely concerned” by the sentence against Australian national Gordon Ng.
British officials similarly condemned the move, saying it was another example of Beijing using the 2021 national security law to drown out pro-democracy voices.
“Those sentenced today were exercising their rights to freedom of speech, assembly and political participation,” said Catherine West, UK Foreign Office Secretary for Indo-Pacific.
A Chinese flag flies behind a pair of surveillance cameras outside a central government building in Hong Kong, China. (Roy Liu/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The US Consulate General in Hong Kong expressed a similar opinion and condemned the ruling.
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“We urge (Beijing) and the Hong Kong authorities to cease politically motivated prosecutions against Hong Kong citizens and immediately terminate all political prisoners and individuals imprisoned for peacefully defending rights and freedoms,” the ministry said in a statement. I ask that he be released.”
The ruling came less than a month after two pro-democracy journalists in Hong Kong were sentenced to prison for “sedition” and “illegal ideology.”
Trong Puikwen, 55, and Patrick Lam, 36, were found guilty in August of conspiracy to publish inflammatory content through media outlet Stand News.
Chung, a former editor-in-chief of Stand News, was sentenced to 21 months in prison. Zheng’s successor, Zheng Lam, was sentenced to 14 months in prison, but his sentence was reduced due to various factors, including time served before trial and his health.
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The two are the first journalists to be convicted of such crimes in Hong Kong since Britain transferred the territory to Chinese rule in 1997.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
