14 pro-democracy activists convicted in Hong Kong 47

Hong Kong has convicted 14 people in the high-profile Hong Kong 47 case, which charged 47 pro-democracy activists, including a former opposition lawmaker and a student activist, with violating the National Security Law (NSL). Those convicted could face up to life imprisonment.

On Tuesday, a Hong Kong court found 14 of the 47 pro-democracy activists guilty of subversion in the final trial. Sixteen people were sentenced, while 31 had already pleaded guilty, and two were acquitted.

The verdict was delivered over three years and four months after their arrest. The court stated that if the activists had taken control of parliament and vetoed the budget, it would have significantly disrupted the state's operations. The ruling also noted that "even without violent acts, this could amount to state subversion."

The Hong Kong 47 case involved the mass arrest of 47 pro-democracy figures who campaigned in a primary election in July 2020 to unify the opposition. The group included notable activists like student leader Joshua Wong and former HKU professor Benny Tai. The goal was to consolidate support behind a single candidate to win a majority in the upcoming Legislative Council elections. Despite being unofficial, the primary drew over 600,000 Hong Kong residents.

While the pro-democracy activists were detained and investigated, the Hong Kong government revised the electoral system in September 2021 to allow only "patriots" (pro-China candidates) to run for office. In the subsequent Legislative Council elections in December, the pro-Beijing faction gained control of the legislature.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) condemned the verdict, calling it an “utter contempt for both democratic political processes and the rule of law.”


Chul-Jung Kim tnf@donga.com