@dailymail: A Hong Kong court sentenced 45 prominent pro-democracy figures to up to 10 years in prison on Tuesday for 'trying to overthrow the city's government.' The political prisoners were convicted for their involvement in an unofficial primary vote held to select opposition candidates for the 2020 legislative election. This year, prosecutors argued that the primary's purpose was to paralyze Hong Kong's government by securing a legislative majority and using it to block government bills indiscriminately, with the ultimate goal of forcing the city’s leader to resign. Maya Wang, associate China director at Human Rights Watch, condemned the 'harsh sentences,' emphasizing how they reflected 'just how rapidly Hong Kong’s civil liberties and judicial independence have deteriorated' since the national security law's implementation. 'Running in an election and trying to win it is now a crime that can lead to a decade in prison in Hong Kong,' she said in a statement. Once a hub for pro-democracy activism, Hong Kong has seen its political freedoms steadily erode under the weight of the 2020 Beijing-backed national security law. #hongkong #china #democracy #worldnews

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Tuesday 19 November 2024 17:14:01 GMT