A Hong Kong court has commenced mitigation hearings for prominent pro-democracy activists who were convicted under a national security law and now face potential life imprisonment. These activists were part of a group of 47 democracy advocates charged with conspiracy to commit subversion in 2021 for their involvement in an unofficial primary, marking the largest case brought under the Beijing-imposed national security law.
The activists were accused of attempting to disrupt Hong Kong's government and overthrow the city's leader by securing a legislative majority to block city budgets. Of the 47 defendants, 45 either pleaded guilty or were convicted by a three-judge panel approved by the government. The judges stated that the activists' plans to effect change through elections would have undermined the government's authority and led to a constitutional crisis, a verdict that raised concerns about judicial independence.
The first group of defendants pleading for leniency includes legal scholar Benny Tai and activists Au Nok-hin, Andrew Chiu, Ben Chung, and Gordon Ng. The mitigation hearings are expected to continue until early August. Barrister Stewart Wong, representing Tai, argued that his client should be sentenced to two years in jail.
Before the hearing, a crowd gathered outside the court building, with some expressing disbelief at the charges. One voter in the primary, retiree William Wong, questioned why individuals were facing imprisonment for participating in what he viewed as a normal election.
Tai, a former law professor and co-founder of the 2014 Occupy Movement, was noted for his role in planning to block city budgets through acquiring a legislative majority. The judges described this as a 'constitutional weapon of mass destruction' aimed at undermining Hong Kong's political system.
The convictions have sparked international concern, with the United States planning to impose new visa restrictions on Chinese and Hong Kong officials involved in implementing the security law. Despite criticism, the Hong Kong government maintains that the city's courts operate independently and are not subject to political pressure.
The security law, introduced in 2020, was intended to restore stability following widespread anti-government protests in 2019.
