Hong Kong activists' appeal ends, judgement due in nine months
The case stems from the "47 democrats", dubbed by Hong Kong media for the number of activists arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit subversion in 2021.
Forty-five of the defendants were jailed last year for holding an unofficial primary election in 2020, soon after Beijing imposed a sweeping national security law in response to pro-democracy protests.
Eleven are appealing their conviction and sentences, while one who pleaded guilty is challenging her sentence.
Government prosecutor Andy Lo told the hearing on Thursday that the case involved "an unprecedented conspiracy", while defence lawyers said on Wednesday their clients had been denied a fair trial.
Judge Jeremy Poon said a decision would be made within nine months. After that, it would still be possible to seek an appeal to Hong Kong's highest court.
The 45 received prison terms of between four and 10 years after prosecutors said they sought to paralyse government and force the city's leader to resign by securing a legislative majority to indiscriminately veto budget proposals.
During this week's appeal hearing, defence lawyers argued on Wednesday that the three judges who presided over the original trial had frequently interrupted defendants during cross-examination.
"The trial court was interventionist from very early on," said Robert Pang, a lawyer for unionist Winnie Yu. He said the court repeatedly disallowed questions on grounds of irrelevance.
Lawyer Steven Kwan said his client, activist Owen Chow, did not receive a fair trial as "his evidence was disbelieved very early on" and judges posed 45% of all the questions to him.
But prosecutor Derek Lau said judges had that right, noting it was not a jury trial.
"There is no unfairness that can be observed that is to the prejudice of the defender in these questions," he said.
Lawyer Trevor Beel, representing activist Gwyneth Ho, said on Wednesday that legislators had a duty to use whatever legitimate means to negotiate with the government and that Hong Kong's mini-constitution or Basic Law allows for a budget not to be passed.
Under Article 52 of the Basic Law, the chief executive must step down if the legislature twice rejects the government's budget.
Hong Kong was handed back to China by Britain in 1997 with a promise of freedom and autonomy under the "one country, two systems" framework and an eventual democratic vote for the chief executive and the legislature.
If Ho wanted to achieve dual universal suffrage and an effective legislature, then it "was not radical, and this is not against the principle of one country, two systems," Beel said.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
US and China officials meet in Stockholm to discuss how to ease trade tensions
Top trade officials from China and the United States arrived for a new round of talks in Stockholm on Monday in a bid to ease tensions over trade between the world's two biggest national economies. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng were meeting at the offices of Sweden's prime minister for talks that Bessent has said will likely to lead to an extension of current tariff levels. Analysts say the two envoys could set the stage for a possible meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping later this year to cement a recent thaw in trade tensions. The talks are the third this year between He and Bessent — nearly four months after Trump upended global trade with his sweeping tariff proposals, including an import tax that shot up to 145% on Chinese goods. China quickly retaliated, sending global financial markets into a temporary tailspin. The Stockholm meeting — following similar talks in Geneva and London in recent months — is set to extend a 90-day pause on those tariffs. During the pause, U.S. tariffs were lowered to 30% on Chinese goods, and China set a 10% tariff on U.S. products. The Trump administration, fresh off a deal on tariffs with the European Union, wants to reduce a trade deficit that came in at $904 billion overall last year — including a nearly $300 billion trade deficit with China alone. China's Commerce Ministry, for its part, said last week that Beijing wants 'more consensus and cooperation and less misperception' from the Stockholm talks. —— Didi Tang and Josh Boak in Washington contributed to this report.
Reuters
2 hours ago
- Reuters
US to resume grants to Nepal for two key infrastructure projects
KATHMANDU, July 28 (Reuters) - The United States will resume its funding for two major infrastructure projects in Nepal that were earlier put on hold after President Donald Trump suspended all foreign development assistance, authorities said on Monday. U.S. government aid agency the Millennium Challenge Corporation agreed in 2017 to provide $500 million to fund a power transmission line and road improvement project in the Himalayan nation, one of the world's poorest countries. But the projects were put on hold after Trump in January ordered a 90-day pause in foreign development assistance on the day he returned to the White House, pending a review of its efficiency and consistency with U.S. foreign policy. A statement from Nepal's finance ministry said the U.S. government had completed the review of the assistance under the MCC Nepal Compact for these projects. "Information has been received that the implementation of the MCC Nepal Compact has been recommended," the statement said without providing details. The transmission line was meant to promote power trade between Nepal and neighbouring India. The U.S. embassy in Nepal confirmed the development in a post on its official X handle, adding that the project "supports prosperity and regional energy security by building electricity transmission infrastructure and improving the road network". Nepali authorities said the projects will now resume. The finance ministry made no reference to seven other projects in the field of education, health, agriculture and statistics that were also funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and were stalled in February. The funding cuts by the Trump administration have effectively shut down USAID, leading to the firing of thousands of its employees and contractors. The MCC grant sparked street protests in 2022, with Nepal's opposition parties saying it would undermine sovereignty as Kathmandu would not have sufficient control over the projects. Parliament approved the projects the same year by a majority vote.
The Guardian
2 hours ago
- The Guardian
Head of Shaolin Temple in China under investigation on suspicion of embezzlement
China's famous Shaolin Temple has announced that its abbot is under investigation on suspicion of misappropriation and embezzlement of project funds and temple assets. Shi Yongxin is alleged to have committed criminal offences and violated Buddhist precepts by maintaining relationships with multiple women over a long period and fathering at least one child, according to a notice from the temple's authority on its WeChat account. The notice said a joint investigation was being carried out by multiple departments and its findings would be announced in due course. On Monday, China's Buddhist Association stripped Shi of his ordination certificate, accusing him of 'seriously undermining the reputation of the Buddhist community and the image of monks'. Shi has not responded publicly to the allegations. The Guardian has contacted him for comment. The fame of the Shaolin Temple, based in the central Chinese province of Henan, has gone beyond a religious institution. It is also renowned for its martial arts culture, or kung fu, which has been referenced in many movies and TV dramas, including the 1982 film The Shaolin Temple, starring martial arts superstar Jet Li. Local media reported that Shi Yongxin, whose original name is Liu Yingcheng, had faced accusations in the past, including claims that he fathered several children and embezzled money. Provincial investigation reports exonerated him of all charges in 2016, according to the Caixin Global news outlet. Shi Yongxin entered the Shaolin Temple in 1981 and became its abbot in 1999, according to the temple's website. China's state news agency Xinhua reported in 2015 that he was known as a 'CEO monk,' attracting criticism for developing commercial operations to promote kung fu shows and merchandise. On Sunday, Chinese local media outlets reported that authorities had dismissed as fake an online notice claiming Shi Yongxin was intercepted by authorities while trying to flee to the US with a number of mistresses and about 20 children.
