The Hong Kong government has rejected western criticism of the conviction of 14 pro-democracy activists for subversion, calling it “untruthful, slandering and smearing”.
The US said on Friday it was “deeply concerned” about the guilty verdicts announced in the national security law trial of the activists in Hong Kong. The state department said the 14 activists had been subjected to “politically motivated prosecution and jailed simply for peacefully participating in political activities” that should have been protected under the basic law, which was supposed to guarantee a degree of autonomy for Hong Kong when it came under Beijing’s rule in 1997.
“Instead of imposing harsh sentences that would further erode confidence in Hong Kong’s judicial system, Hong Kong authorities should immediately release these unjustly detained individuals,” a state department statement said. “We urge [China’s] government and Hong Kong authorities to uphold Hong Kong’s judicial independence, cease the use of vague national security laws to curb peaceful dissent, and restore the openness that was so crucial to Hong Kong’s vitality and competitiveness as an international business hub.”
The statement announced new visa restrictions on Chinese and Hong Kong officials deemed to be responsible for implementing the national security law, which was introduced in 2020 after mass protests.
The Hong Kong authorities said “the so-called sanctions” had the ring of “despicable political manipulation”, and defended the conduct of the trial.
“The proven offence was aimed at undermining, destroying or overthrowing the existing political system,” a government statement said. “Such criminal acts endangering national security had nothing to do with the so-called fight for democracy and human rights.”
The convictions were imposed in the biggest trial so far of activists charged under the national security law. Two other defendants were acquitted, the first acquittals under the law.
The 16 defendants were drawn from a total of 47 arrested in January 2021 for helping organise an informal primary election the previous year, aimed at producing pro-democracy candidates for Hong Kong’s parliament. The legislative elections were eventually held in December 2021 after the election laws were changed so that only candidates deemed by the state to be “patriots” could run for office.
When Hong Kong, a former British colony, was returned to Chinese rule, Beijing promised that its western-style civil liberties would be preserved for 50 years. However, in 2019 mass protests erupted against Chinese encroachment on Hong Kong’s rights, most immediately an extradition law, that Hong Kong residents feared could expose them to the Chinese judicial system. The demonstrations were met with a police crackdown and the passing of the national security law in June 2020.
