Activists in Hong Kong found guilty of conspiracy to overthrow the government

2024-05-30 10:13:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Activists in Hong Kong found guilty of conspiracy to overthrow the government

Illustrative photo

Fourteen pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong were found guilty and two others acquitted in a landmark trial that critics say could be another blow to the rule of law in the city.

The verdict in Hong Kong's biggest trial against the democratic opposition came after more than three years ago police arrested 47 democrats and raided their homes in the city. They were charged with conspiracy to overthrow the government, under the national security law imposed by China.

The sentence will be pronounced at a later date for those found guilty. For the crime they were found guilty of, they can be sentenced from three years to life imprisonment. Thirty-one accused pleaded guilty and four of them have become prosecution witnesses.

The United States and several other countries have criticized the trial, calling it politically motivated and calling for the accused to be released immediately. Diplomats from several countries, including the US and the European Union, attended the court hearing.

The defendants are accused of "conspiracy" to paralyze the government and force the city's leader to resign through a pre-election vote in the statewide election in July 2020. Democrats said it was an unofficial effort to choose the strongest candidates for won a majority in the Hong Kong legislature.

Judges Andrew Chan, Alex Lee and Johnny Chan wrote in the ruling that if the defendants had succeeded, they would have created "a constitutional crisis for Hong Kong" that would lead to "serious interference and undermining of the exercise of duties and functions in accordance with the law of the Hong Kong Government".

Among those convicted are former Democratic lawmakers Leung Kwok-hung, Lam Cheuk-ting and Helena Wong.

It is unclear whether any of the people found guilty will appeal the verdict.

In 2019, massive pro-democracy protests erupted in Hong Kong against Beijing's plans for security legislation, which democrats say would violate freedoms guaranteed when Hong Kong returned to Chinese control in 1997.

Beijing in 2020 imposed a national security law that led to the arrest of democrats, but also shut down liberal media and non-governmental organizations. The democratic opposition in Hong Kong for decades has pressured Beijing to allow full democracy in the city./ REL