Hong Kong jails 45 pro-democracy activists in landmark security case

In a sweeping crackdown under Hong Kong’s national security law, 45 pro-democracy activists, including prominent figures, have been handed significant prison terms in the largest security-related case since Beijing imposed the controversial legislation in 2020.

Benny Tai, a 60-year-old legal scholar and key architect of Hong Kong’s democracy movements, received a 10-year sentence, the harshest among the group. Prosecutors described Tai as the mastermind of an “overthrow” conspiracy for his role in organizing an unofficial 2020 primary election aimed at electing lawmakers to challenge government policies.

“One day is too heavy. I mean, what has he done? He’s organised an informal vote on something,” said Kevin Yam, a former Hong Kong lawyer now based in Australia, who described the sentences as a crushing blow.

The trial, lasting 118 days, departed from Hong Kong’s traditional legal norms, with judges handpicked by authorities and no jury. Many defendants, including Tai, had spent years in pretrial detention after being denied bail.

The case underscores Beijing’s tightening grip on the once semi-autonomous city. Human rights organizations and foreign governments swiftly condemned the verdicts. Maya Wang, associate China director at Human Rights Watch, said, *“Running in an election and trying to win it is now a crime that can lead to a decade in prison in Hong Kong.”*

The U.S. and Australian governments also criticized the sentences, with Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong expressing objections to the treatment of Gordon Ng, an Australian citizen sentenced to seven years and three months.

The arrests and sentences have drawn global attention to Hong Kong’s eroding freedoms under the national security law, which criminalizes subversion, secession, and collusion with foreign forces. Critics say it has silenced dissent and dismantled the city’s democratic traditions.

For many, the convictions represent a grim milestone in Hong Kong’s transformation. The activists’ fate serves as a stark reminder of the city’s dwindling space for political opposition and civil liberties.