45 Hong Kong pro-democracy activists are sentenced to jail in city’s biggest national security trial
NBCNov 17
Hong Kong Jails 45 Pro-Democracy Activists for Subversion
Above: Media staff report outside the West Kowloon Law Courts Building ahead of the sentencing of 45 people convicted of the offense of conspiracy to commit subversion on Nov. 19, 2024 in Hong Kong, China. Image copyright: Xiao Meilin/Contributor/VCG via Getty Images
The Facts
A Hong Kong court on Tuesday sentenced 45 pro-democracy leaders to prison terms ranging from four years and two months to 10 years under the national security law imposed by Beijing in 2020.
The defendants, including former lawmakers, activists, unionists, and journalists, were charged with conspiracy to commit subversion for organizing an unofficial primary election that drew 610K voters in July 2020.
The Spin
Pro-China narrative
The national security law was necessary to restore stability after violent protests threatened Hong Kong's order in 2019. Not only was the protest illegal but these defendants continued to defy the law thereafter. These sentences reflect proper legal consequences for attempting to paralyze the government through unconstitutional means and distorted facts.
Anti-China narrative
This demonstrates how Hong Kong's civil liberties and judicial independence have rapidly deteriorated, turning peaceful political participation into a crime punishable by lengthy imprisonment. The fight for Hong Kong's true history and civic freedoms will continue despite China's attempts to strip democracy from what should be a sovereign island.
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