@guardian: “Why does my son have to go to prison? … He is a good person,” shouted Elsa Wu, the adoptive mother of Hendrick Lui, who was today sentenced to more than four years in jail. He is one of 45 of Hong Kong’s most prominent pro-democracy figures – who were jailed on Tuesday following the territory’s largest national security trial - which has been widely criticised as politically motivated. Those jailed are among 47 people known as the “Hong Kong 47” who were charged in 2021 under the punitive national security law (NSL) with conspiracy to commit subversion over their involvement in pre-election primaries held in 2020 before the Hong Kong general election. Most have already spent more than three years in jail. Two of the 47 were acquitted in May. Today’s sentences were quickly condemned by democratic governments, including the US, and human rights groups, but the Chinese and Hong Kong governments defended the prosecution - having previously said the national security laws were necessary to restore order after mass pro-democracy protests in 2019. The group are some of the most public faces of the resistance to a Beijing-led crackdown on dissent and political freedom in Hong Kong, which has left the city with almost no active opposition. From activists to professors and legislators - who are the Hong Kong 47? Tap the link in bio for our full explainer on the pro-democracy camp of Hong Kong’s previously vibrant political scene.

The Guardian

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Tuesday 19 November 2024 14:58:14 GMT