Hong Kong's jailing of pro-democracy activists provokes international fury

Governments and human rights groups have expressed concern and outrage at the sentencing of 45 pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong following the city's largest national security trial.

- Amy Hawkins & Helen Davidson

Yesterday, a court handed down sentences ranging from four years and two months to 10 years to activists, former legislators, councillors and academics, who - along with two people acquitted in May - made up a group known as the Hong Kong 47.

The activists were arrested in 2021 under the city's national security law (NSL) for their participation in an unofficial primary election in July 2020, weeks after the NSL had been imposed by Beijing in response to months of pro-democracy protests. More than 600,000 people participated in the unofficial Vote.

A spokesperson for the US consulate in Hong Kong said the US "strongly condemns', the sentences, adding that the defendants were "aggressively prosecuted and jailed for peacefully participating in normal political activity".

Benny Tai, a legal academic and activist who pleaded guilty, was sentenced to 10 years in jail for his role as an organiser ofthe primaries. Tai's is the longest sentence handed out so far under the NSL, which was introduced by Beijing on 30 June 2020.

Tai was accused of being the "mastermind" behind a plan for the city's pro-democracy camp to win a majority in the upcoming legislative council election, and then force the dissolution ofthe legislature and resignation of the chief executive.