Hong Kong trial of pro-democracy activists begins

Some of Hong Kong’s most prominent pro-democracy activists went on trial on Monday in the largest-ever prosecution of the Chinese Communist Party’s crackdown on dissent.

The 18 defendants face up to life in prison if convicted under a national security law that critics say undermines the autonomy promised when Hong Kong returned to China in 1997, and its status as a global business hub.

They are among 47 pro-democracy figures arrested in 2021 under a law imposed after protests in 2019. They are accused of having links to the unofficial 2020 primaries.

Pro-democracy movements generally dry up after activists are jailed or exiled. Many young professionals have responded to Hong Kong’s erosion of Western-style civil liberties by leaving for Britain, the United States and other countries. The US imposed sanctions on officials found guilty of such violations.

The primary in 2020 aims to elect a pro-democracy candidate who can control the Legislative Council of the region. Prosecutors accused him of trying to paralyze Hong Kong’s government and overthrow the city’s leaders by securing a majority to veto the budget.

“The purpose of the conspiracy was to undermine the power of the state,” prosecutors said in their opening remarks.

Prominent activist

The prosecution involves many of the city’s most prominent activists, including law scholar Benny Tai, former student leader Joshua Wong and opposition party leaders Wu Chi-wai and Alvin Yeung.

Tai and four others were election organizers and had significant involvement, prosecutors said.

In the previous proceedings, the 18 activists indicated that they intended to plead not guilty. But the two – former district councilor Ng Kin-wai and businessman Mike Lam – later changed their minds, joining 29 other activists, including Tai, Wong, Yeung and Wu, who plan to plead guilty to the charges.

While most of the 47 activists charged with conspiracy to carry out subversion have been held without bail for almost two years, former MPs Raymond Chan and Helena Wong, who appeared in court on Monday, are among the minority who have been granted strict bail. circumstances.

Before opening statements, the couple, along with 14 other activists, pleaded not guilty before a judge, who was approved by city leaders to oversee the case.

“There is no crime for me to plead guilty,” former lawmaker Leung Kwok-hung said. Ng and Lam pleaded guilty.

Those who want to plead guilty will receive punishment after the trial. Several people, including Joshua Wong and former district councilman Lester Shum, were in the courtroom to observe the hearing.

The court also heard that four of the 47 activists will give evidence as prosecution witnesses.

‘This is political repression’

Earlier in the morning, more than 200 people, including relatives and friends of the accused, lined up outside the courthouse as local police increased security in the area.

Some people in front of the line, including a group of more than 10 who arrived at 6 am local time to secure a seat for the hearing, said they had no clue what the trial was about. That prompted pro-democracy activists in the audience to ask if they were just trying to grab seats so that other members of the public would not get a place to observe the high court.

Three members of the League of Social Democrats staged a small protest outside the compound, demanding the release of all political prisoners.

“Primary elections are not a crime. They are political oppression,” said Chan Po-ying, one of the members.

The police took her friend away for violating the mask mandate when she took off her mask and tried to speak loudly.

The trial is expected to last 90 days. The case attracted international attention, with advocacy groups and politicians condemning the allegations.

Amnesty International’s deputy regional director Hana Young called for the charges to be dropped, saying the activists were being forced to decide whether to plead guilty to “non-existent crimes” to reduce potential punishment or fight a losing battle.

“With this mass trial, the Hong Kong government is trying to kill all meaningful political participation in Hong Kong,” he said.

But he added that the authorities would not be able to silence the dissidents, referring to the protests outside the court.