HK court finds 14 democracy activists guilty in landmark trial

They were among 47 held and charged with conspiracy to commit subversior’

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Fourteen Hong Kong activists were found guilty while two were acquitted on May 30 in a landmark subversion trial that critics say could deal another blow to the city's rule of law and its reputation as a global financial hub.

The verdicts in Hong Kong's biggest trial come more than three years after police arrested 47 democrats in mass dawn raids at homes across the city, later charging them with "conspiracy to commit subversion" under a China-imposed national security law.

Sentencing will come at a later date for those found guilty, with prison terms ranging from three years to life for this national security offence.

Thirty-one defendants pleaded guilty, and four of them have become prosecution witnesses.

The US and some other countries have criticised the trial as politically motivated, calling for the accused to be immediately released.

"Australia has expressed our strong objections to the Hong Kong authorities on the continuing broad application of national security legislation to arrest and pressure pro-democracy figures," Foreign Minister Penny Wong said in a statement.

She said her government was "deeply concerned" with the verdicts and would continue to seek consular access to Gordon Ng, an Australian citizen and one of those convicted.

Security was tight around the High Court, where diplomats from the US, Britain and Europe have attended proceedings.