This week, a Hong Kong court is set to deliver sentences for 45 pro-democracy campaigners in a high-profile national security trial. Critics argue that the anticipated heavy penalties could further suppress the city’s once-vibrant pro-democracy movement.
Convictions and Expected Sentences
Of the 47 individuals charged with conspiracy to commit subversion, 14 were found guilty in May, while two were acquitted. Earlier, 31 had pleaded guilty, hoping for leniency. Sentences are expected to range from several years for lesser participants to life imprisonment for key organizers.
The charges stem from unofficial primary elections held in July 2020, designed to improve pro-democracy candidates’ chances in legislative elections. Authorities claim these primaries were part of a plan to undermine the government, while critics argue the elections represented lawful political engagement.
International Condemnation and Government Defense
The United States has called the trial politically motivated, urging the release of the defendants. However, Hong Kong officials maintain that the legal process has been impartial, denouncing Western criticism as baseless and defamatory.
The verdicts mark a significant moment under Hong Kong’s national security law, enacted in July 2020 following widespread protests the previous year. Critics say the law has eroded freedoms guaranteed under the “one country, two systems” framework established in 1997 when Hong Kong returned to Chinese rule.
Silencing Pro-Democracy Voices
The trial has effectively dismantled Hong Kong’s pro-democracy leadership. Many of the defendants were denied bail and jury trials, and some have endured prolonged detentions, leading to physical and mental health struggles.
Eddie Chu, a former journalist among the accused, now suffers from glaucoma, which impacts his vision and mood, according to a friend. Winnie Yu, another defendant, chose not to plead guilty despite knowing the odds of acquittal were slim. Her husband said this was a matter of principle, stating, “Stick to our beliefs, don’t let others change who we are.”
Broader Implications for Hong Kong
Legal experts argue the trial represents a departure from Hong Kong’s common law traditions. Urania Chiu, a legal researcher at Oxford University, noted, “The verdict makes clear that protecting national security overrides compatibility with human rights and the rule of law.”
China has defended the national security law as necessary to restore order following the 2019 protests, while rights groups like Amnesty International see parallels with mainland China’s crackdown on dissent.
Sarah Brooks, China director for Amnesty International, stated, “Opposition is treated as dissent—a dramatic shift for Hong Kong.”
A Movement Forced Underground
The crackdown has driven Hong Kong’s democratic aspirations out of public view. While protests are now rare due to legal restrictions, many citizens still express their commitment to freedom and democracy privately.
“The democratic movement has become invisible,” said a friend of Eddie Chu. “It continues in different forms, quietly but resolutely.”
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