Hong Kong Protesters

Foreign govts criticise sentencing of 45 democracy activists in Hong Kong

Forty-five prominent activists in Hong Kong were sentenced to jail for up to 10 years on Tuesday, sparking criticism from foreign governments and rights groups. The democracy advocates were among 47 people charged under a Beijing-imposed national security law in 2021 for their involvement in an unofficial primary election to pick opposition candidates. In the city's biggest national security case to date, they were accused of agreeing to veto government-proposed budgets indiscriminately after potentially securing a legislative majority to force a dissolution of the legislature and then the ouster of the city's leader. The case involved pro-democracy figures across the spectrum. Thirty-one of them pleaded guilty to the charge of conspiracy to commit subversion. Fourteen others were convicted following a long trial. Two were acquitted. Australia Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said her government was gravely concerned by the sentences for Australian citizen Gordon Ng and the .

Hong Kong to sentence 45 democracy activists in biggest security law case

The sentencing of former youth activist Joshua Wong, 28, and legal scholar Benny Tai, 60, will start at 10 a.m. today, nearly four years after they were arrested

Hong Kong court convicts editors over articles on democracy activists

The city's District Court on Thursday announced the conviction of Chung Pui-kuen and Patrick Lam, top editors at the shuttered pro-democracy publisher Stand News

Hong Kong court nears sentencing activists for unofficial primary

A Hong Kong court began mitigation hearings for prominent pro-democracy activists who were convicted under a national security law and now face up to life in prison. The activists were among 47 democracy advocates who were charged with conspiracy to commit subversion in 2021 for their involvement in an unofficial primary, in the biggest case brought under the Beijing-imposed national security law. They were accused of attempting to paralyze Hong Kong's government and topple the city's leader by securing a legislative majority and using it to block city budgets. Forty-five of the defendants either pled guilty or were convicted by a three-judge panel whose membership was approved by the government. The judges said their plans to effect change through the election would have undermined the government's authority and created a constitutional crisis, in a verdict that critics said raised doubt about judicial independence. The first batch of defendants to plead for lenient sentences ...

Hong Kong court convicts 14 pro-democracy activists under China imposed law

A Hong Kong court on Thursday convicted 14 pro-democracy activists in the city's biggest national security case under a law imposed by Beijing that has all but wiped out public dissent. Those who were found guilty included former lawmakers Leung Kwok-hung, Lam Cheuk-ting, Helena Wong and Raymond Chan. But the three judges approved by the government to oversee the case acquitted two former district councilors Lee Yue-shun and Lawrence Lau. They were among 47 democracy advocates who were prosecuted in 2021 for their involvement in an unofficial primary election. Prosecutors had accused them of attempting to paralyse Hong Kong's government and topple the city's leader by securing the legislative majority necessary to indiscriminately veto budgets. Some of Hong Kong's best-known pro-democracy activists charged in the city's biggest national security case will begin to hear their verdicts as early as Thursday, facing up to life in prison if convicted under a law imposed by Beijing that h

YouTube blocks access to Hong Kong protest anthem videos after court order

Glory to Hong Kong was an anthem of anti-government protests in 2019

US denounced Hong Kong's national security law but its actions remain muted

The US has denounced Hong Kong's new national security law as a tool to potentially silence dissent both at home and abroad, but so far the action from Washington has been notably muted, disappointing those fighting for the Chinese territory's democracy and freedoms. Since the law's swift passage on March 19, the US has announced visa restrictions on an unspecified number of unnamed Hong Kong officials but taken no further action. That's a far cry from 2020, when Beijing imposed national security restrictions to end months of unrest on Hong Kong streets. The U.S. responded by hitting the city's highest-ranking officials with sanctions and depriving the territory of its preferential trading status. While the new law, known as Article 23, now expands the Hong Kong government's powers to go after those it accuses of spying and to target dissidents anywhere in the world, Washington has been treading carefully. The State Department declined to preview or comment on any potential actions

After jail term, Hong Kong pro-independence activist seeks asylum in UK

An activist who advocated for Hong Kong independence and was jailed under a sweeping national security law fled to Britain to seek political asylum, according to his social media posts Friday. Tony Chung was among the first convicted under the Beijing-imposed law that was introduced after the 2019 pro-democracy protests. He was found guilty of secession and money laundering in 2020 and sentenced to 43 months in prison. In two Instagram posts Friday, Chung detailed how authorities closely watched him after he was released from prison: He was asked to meet with national security authorities regularly and report to them on where he had been, whom he had met with and his conversations, and authorities offered to pay him for information on others to prove he had reformed himself. They also proposed he go to mainland China. Chung said he was made to sign a document that barred him from disclosing his conversations with the authorities, so he could not seek help from any lawyers nor tell .

Hong Kong activists partially win to quash convictions over 2019 protest

Seven of Hong Kong's most prominent pro-democracy advocates had part of their convictions quashed on Monday over their roles in one of the biggest pro-democracy protests in 2019. Jimmy Lai, founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper; Martin Lee, the founding chairman of the city's Democratic Party; and five former pro-democracy lawmakers, including barrister Margaret Ng, had been found guilty of organising and participating an unauthorised assembly. Lai, Lee Cheuk-yan, Leung Kwok-hung and Cyd Ho were jailed between eight to 18 months. Martin Lee, an octogenarian nicknamed the city's Father of Democracy," Ng and Albert Ho were given suspended jail sentences. Their convictions two years ago and their sentences were widely seen as another blow to the city's flagging democracy movement under an unprecedented crackdown by Beijing and Hong Kong authorities. Judge Andrew Macrae said he and other judges of the Court of Appeal unanimously quashed their convictions over the charge of .

Hong Kongers hold first protest in yrs since lifting of Covid restrictions

Dozens of people on Sunday joined Hong Kong's first authorised demonstration against the government since the lifting of major COVID-19 restrictions under unprecedentedly strict rules, including wearing a numbered badge around their necks. The rules set out by the police, who cited security reasons, came as the financial hub was promoting its return to normalcy after years of anti-virus controls and political turmoil. During the pandemic, protests were rare due to COVID-19 restrictions. In addition, many activists have been silenced or jailed after Beijing imposed a national security law following massive protests in 2019. Critics say the city's freedom of assembly has been eroded. Sunday's demonstration against the proposed reclamation and construction of rubbish-processing facilities was the first police-approved march of its kind after the city scrapped its mask mandate and social distancing limits. But organizers had to comply with police requirements such as taking measures t

HK jails pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai over fraud for 5 yrs 9 mths

A Hong Kong court sentenced a pro-democracy media tycoon to five years and nine months in prison on Saturday over two fraud charges linked to lease violations, the latest of a series of cases against prominent activists that critics say are aimed at crushing dissent in the city. Jimmy Lai, who was arrested during a crackdown on the city's pro-democracy movement following widespread protests in 2019 and under the National Security Law imposed by Beijing, was also fined 2 million Hong Kong dollars (USD 257,000). His media company, Next Digital, published the now-defunct pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily. The publication was forced to close following the arrests of its top executives, editors and journalists last year. In October, Lai was found guilty of fraud for subletting part of the office space to a secretarial firm, which was also controlled by him, between 2016 and 2020. The second fraud count was for letting the same firm use the media outlet's office space in an alleged br

Hong Kongers who clapped, criticised judge in court guilty of sedition

Two Hong Kongers were found guilty on a sedition charge on Thursday after they clapped and criticised the judge during a previous trial over a banned Tiananmen Square vigil in the city. Garry Pang Moon-yuen, a pastor, and Chiu Mei-ying, a housewife, were arrested in April for disturbances they made in a court hearing in January when a leader of the group that organised the Hong Kong vigil was sentenced for inciting others to join the prohibited event last year. Hong Kong is undergoing a political crackdown following widespread protests in 2019 and the imposition of a sweeping national security law in 2020, with many prominent activists in the pro-democracy camp having been arrested or jailed. Besides the national security law, a growing number of dissidents have also been charged for colonial-era sedition offenses. Pang and Chiu, instead of being charged with contempt of court, were charged with uttering seditious words. Pang reportedly told the judge you have lost your conscience

After arrests, HK's last major pro-democracy outlet shuts forever

Stand News on Wednesday announced on Facebook that it would immediately lay off all staff and cease operations

8 Hong Kong pro-democracy activists on trial over banned Tiananmen vigil

A trial began Monday for Hong Kong tycoon Jimmy Lai and seven other pro-democracy activists

Hong Kong freedoms fade as Beijing's security law muzzles dissent

Hong Kong is still China's wealthiest, most capitalist city. Its vistas of skyscraper and sea framed by dragon-backed emerald peaks are as stunning as ever.

Nine Hong Kong democracy leaders given jail terms amid crackdown

This relates to a march during the 2019 anti-government protests that triggered an overwhelming crackdown from Beijing

No longer the Hong Kong we knew: Thousands flee for UK amid China crackdown

Many say China's encroachment on their way of life and civil liberties has become unbearable

Hong Kong rights group stage protest for release of 'political prisoners'

A prominent rights group staged an act of defiance on New Year's Day for the first time in 12 months calling for release of "political prisoners"

Hong Kong's Carrie Lam vows closer Beijing ties to revive economy

Lam said her administration's aim was to restore confidence following another tumultuous year

Three former pro-democracy lawmakers arrested in Hong Kong by police

Hong Kong police arrested three former opposition lawmakers for disrupting legislative meetings several months ago, as concerns grow over a crackdown on the city's pro-democracy camp