Second group of democrats freed after four years

Four people jailed in the landmark Hong Kong national security trial of “47 democrats” accused of conspiracy to commit subversion were freed yesterday after more than four years behind bars, the second group to be released in a month.

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Among those freed was long-time political and LGBTQ activist Jimmy Sham, who also led one of Hong Kong’s largest pro-democracy groups, the Civil Human Rights Front (CHRF), which disbanded in 2021.

“Let me spend some time with my family,” Sham said after arriving at his home in the Kowloon district of Jordan.

“I don’t know how to plan ahead because, to me, it feels like today is my first day of understanding the world again. So, as for what I can do or should do in the future, or where is the red line, I feel like I need to explore and figure it out all over again.”