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Trial of Hong Kong activists under China-imposed law enters home straight | Hong Kong Protests News<\/p>\n
Sixteen pro-democracy activists are charged under national security laws critics claim are designed to stifle dissent.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Hong Kong\u2019s largest-ever state security trial has entered its closing phase, with pro-democracy activists linked to massive street protests in 2019 charged under a contentious China-imposed national security law (NSL).<\/p>\n The trial of the 16 activists, accused of conspiracy to commit subversion, began closing arguments on Wednesday. If convicted, they face life in prison.<\/p>\n The defendants are among 47 opposition activists, including elected lawmakers, unionists, and academics, who were rounded up by police in 2021,\u00a0accused of plotting to sew a constitutional crisis and subvert the government.<\/p>\n The case has become a bellwether of Hong Kong\u2019s political environment and is widely considered part of Beijing\u2019s crackdown on the city\u2019s once-vibrant pro-democracy movement.<\/p>\n The law, which criminalises secession, subversion, and collusion with foreign forces to intervene in the city\u2019s affairs, as well as terrorism, has been criticised as eroding the autonomy promised when the island returned to China in 1997. It has helped to put many pro-democracy politicians and activists in jail or exile.<\/p>\n Throughout a 100-day trial, prosecutors have outlined what they say was a plan by the activists to subvert the government. They claim the activists aimed to organise an unofficial primary vote that would consolidate their power in the legislature.<\/p>\n Then, they would seek to \u201cindiscriminately veto\u201d government budgets to exert pressure for their demands, prosecutors say, with an ultimate aim to subvert state power or force Hong Kong\u2019s leader to resign.<\/p>\n One of the activists\u2019 key demands was an independent inquiry into alleged police brutality against thousands of Hong Kong protesters who took to the streets in 2019, in a crackdown watchdogs have decried as \u201cbrutal\u201d and \u201cunlawful\u201d.<\/p>\n Prosecutor Jonathan Man argued the defendants\u2019 acts clearly amounted to subversion even though there had been no actual violence.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are talking about a conspiracy to have legislators vetoing the budget indiscriminately,\u201d Man said during closing arguments.<\/p>\n Rights campaigners and experts have expressed concerns about the activists\u2019 arrest and trial.<\/p>\n In October, a group of United Nations human rights experts said they were troubled by \u201cthe use of mass trials in NSL cases\u201d, warning they could \u201cnegatively affect safeguards that ensure due process and the right to fair trial\u201d.<\/p>\n Outside the court in advance of the closing debates, well-known activist Alexandra Wong was among those voicing support for the charged activists.<\/p>\n \u201cI hope they can be released immediately,\u201d said Wong. \u201cThe 47 only wanted to fight for genuine universal suffrage for us, [there were] no other motives, not to take the power.\u201d<\/p>\n Most of the charged democrats have been detained for more than 1,000 days since February 28, 2021, on national security grounds, and were subjected to marathon bail hearings.<\/p>\n Thirty-one of the 47 charged have pleaded guilty, which could qualify them for reduced sentences. Only 16 are not pleading guilty, including former journalist Gwyneth Ho; activists Owen Chow and Gordon Ng; and ex-democratic lawmakers Leung Kwok-hung, Lam Cheuk-ting and Helena Wong.<\/p>\n Those who have pleaded guilty include former law professor Benny Tai and activist Joshua Wong, who will be sentenced after the trial. Four who pleaded guilty have become prosecution witnesses.<\/p>\n The last round of legal arguments \u2013 also known as the closing submissions \u2013 is expected to last 10 days before the court adjourns to consider the verdict.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u0627\u0644\u0645\u0635\u062f\u0631<\/a>What are the charges?<\/h2>\n
\u2018Right to fair trial\u2019<\/h2>\n
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