Latest news with #HongKong47
The Star
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Star
Hong Kong 47: Jimmy Sham, three other opposition figures released from prison
Jimmy Sham Tsz-kit, one of 47 Hong Kong opposition figures charged in the city's largest national security case so far, has been released from prison after serving his sentence for conspiracy to commit subversion. Sham and three others – Kinda Li Ka-tat, Roy Tam Hoi-pong and Henry Wong Pak-yu – were released early on Friday, a police source confirmed. They were the second batch of defendants in the high-profile case to complete their sentences. Sham, 38, a former convenor of the now-defunct Civil Human Rights Front, was sentenced to four years and three months in prison in November 2024, with the time he spent in pre-trial detention also taken into account. He was seen leaving Shek Pik Prison on Lantau Island under heavy police escort and also near his home in Jordan, where he reportedly arrived at around 6.30am. Speaking to local media, Sham said he hoped to remember those who were 'still suffering', and that he would need time to figure out what the 'new normal' was after four years away from society. 'I'm not sure if I am really a free man,' he said. 'My emotions are complicated ... of course, there is some happiness here [about my release], but there are still many who are suffering, and I feel like I can't be too joyful.' He added that over the past four years many things had changed 'outside' that he had not been aware of. 'I don't know how to plan ahead because, to me, it feels like today is my first day of understanding the world again,' Sham said. 'So, as for what I can do or should do in the future, or where the red line is, I feel like I need to explore and figure it out all over again.' He said he had no plans to leave Hong Kong for the time being and that he was looking forward to spending time with his family again after four years of being apart. Li, Tam and Wong, who are all former district councillors, were also released around the same time – Li and Wong from Stanley Prison and Tam from the Pik Uk Correctional Institution. Their release followed that of four former Legislative Council members – Fan Kwok-wai, Claudia Mo Man-ching, Kwok Ka-ki and Jeremy Tam Man-ho – who were freed in late April, the first defendants to complete their sentences in the case. Sham served as convenor of the Civil Human Rights Front for a year in 2015 and again from 2018 to late 2020, a period during which the organisation spearheaded many large-scale anti-government protests, including during the 2019 social unrest. He also served as the external vice-chairman of the League of Social Democrats and was a district councillor for the Sha Tin Lek Yuen constituency before resigning in 2020. The 'Hong Kong 47' case is the biggest prosecution yet under the national security law that was imposed on the city by Beijing in June 2020 to quell the months-long anti-government movement. Forty-five of the 47 opposition figures were earlier convicted of conspiracy to commit subversion for their roles in an unauthorised 'primary' election held four years ago that was deemed to be part of a plot to overthrow the government. Additional reporting by Connor Mycroft - SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
The Guardian
6 days ago
- General
- The Guardian
Hong Kong releases second group of democrats jailed for four years in national security trial
Four people jailed in the landmark national security trial of the 'Hong Kong 47', the pro-democracy figures accused of conspiracy to commit subversion, were freed on Friday after more than four years behind bars, the second group to be released in a month. Among those freed was longtime political and LGBTQ activist Jimmy Sham, who also led one of Hong Kong's largest pro-democracy groups, the Civil Human Rights Front, which disbanded in 2021. CHRF was one of the largest pro-democracy groups in the former British colony and helped to organise million-strong marches during pro-democracy protests in 2019. The others who were released were Kinda Li, Roy Tam and Henry Wong. Local media reported some of the four arriving at their homes early on Friday. Sham told reporters he would see them 'in the afternoon'. 'I want to reserve some time for my family,' he said in Cantonese, according to Hong Kong Free Press. Li reportedly thanked gathered reporters 'for the hard work' before moving inside. The four are the second group of the Hong Kong 47 to be released. At the end of April, former pro-democracy lawmakers Claudia Mo, Kwok Ka-ki, Jeremy Tam and Gary Fan were released from three separate prisons across Hong Kong around dawn. The 47 pro-democracy campaigners were arrested and charged in early 2021 with conspiracy to commit subversion under a Beijing-imposed national law which carried sentences of up to life in prison. Forty-five of these were convicted after a marathon trial, with sentences of up to 10 years. Only two were acquitted. The democrats were found guilty of organising an unofficial 'primary election' in 2020 to select candidates for a legislative election. Prosecutors accused the activists of plotting to paralyse the government by winning a majority of seats and blocking government bills to force a dissolution. . The election was postponed, and rescheduled after an electoral overhaul that ensured only pro-Beijing 'patriots' could run. Human rights groups and some western governments including the US called the trial politically motivated and had demanded the democrats be freed. Hong Kong and Beijing, however, say all are equal under the national security laws and the democrats received a fair trial. Since large and sustained pro-democracy protests erupted in Hong Kong for most of 2019, China has cracked down on the democratic opposition as well as liberal civil society and media outlets under sweeping national security laws that have broadly criminalised dissenting behaviours, including benign acts of protest.
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Former Hong Kong lawmakers released from prison after serving sentences for 'subversion'
April 29 (UPI) -- Four former Hong Kong pro-democracy lawmakers were released from prison Tuesday after completing their sentences for allegedly attempting to overthrow the government of the special administrative region of China. Claudia Mo, 68; Kwok Ka-ki, 63; Jeremy Tan, 49; and Gary Fan, 58; pleaded guilty to being members of the so-called "Hong Kong 47" group charged under a controversial National Security Law imposed by Beijing over organizing an unofficial primary ahead of 2020 elections in a bid to help pro-democracy parties win a majority in the legislature. "[I am] going home to reunite with my family now. Thanks for the care from Hong Kong people and the media," Fan said as he departed Shek Pik Prison on Lantau Island. Mo's family confirmed she was home after being released from the Lo Wu Correctional Institution, which is close to the border with Shenzhen. "I am very pleased that she is home, but she is resting so I cannot really say any more," Mo's husband, British journalist Philip Bowring, told reporters. "I am sorry about that, but as you know the circumstances, so that is all I can say." The four were all sentenced to four years and two months in prison in November but were freed due to time served since being arrested in 2021. They were among 45 of the Hong Kong 47 pro-democracy activists jailed for between 50 months and 10 years on charges of conspiracy to commit subversion under the NSL imposed in the wake of mass protests against it in 2019 that snowballed into wider pro-democracy protests that brought the territory to a standstill. The four received the shortest sentences based on a one-third discount for their early guilty plea and reductions for their past public service and "ignorance of the law." Former law professor Benny Tai received the longest sentence of the group -- 10 years for his role in masterminding the primary elections strategy -- and remains behind bars. The other two were cleared of the charges against them in May. The judges in the trial, three hand-picked national security justices, ruled that the democrats' plan was to abuse their control of the legislature to trigger a "constitutional crisis" by vetoing the budget, shutting down the government and forcing the chief executive to resign.
Saudi Gazette
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Saudi Gazette
Hong Kong frees four pro-democracy lawmakers after completing jail terms
SINGAPORE — Hong Kong has released four former opposition lawmakers who were among dozens of pro-democracy leaders jailed under the city's controversial National Security Law (NSL). The four - Claudia Mo, Kwok Ka-ki, Jeremy Tam and Gary Fan - had pleaded guilty and were each sentenced to four years and two months behind bars in November. They were released on Tuesday because the fact they they had been in prison since their arrests in 2021 was taken into account when calculating their sentence. The four lawmakers were part of a group known as the Hong Kong 47. They were accused of trying to overthrow the government by running an unofficial primary to pick opposition candidates for local elections. Police said they had left their correctional facilities early on Tuesday. This was the biggest trial under the national security law (NSL) which China imposed on the city shortly after explosive pro-democracy protests in 2019. Hundreds of thousands took to the streets in a months-long standoff against Beijing. Triggered by a proposed government treaty that would have allowed extradition to mainland China, the protests quickly grew to reflect wider demands for democratic reform. Beijing and Hong Kong authorities argue the law is necessary to maintain stability and deny it has weakened autonomy. But critics have called it "the end of Hong Kong" and say it has created a climate of fear in the city. The Hong Kong 47 included famous figures like Joshua Wong and Benny Tai, who were icons of the 2014 pro-democracy protests that rocked Hong Kong. Others were arrested after they stormed the city's Legislative Council (LegCo) and spray-painted Hong Kong's emblem in what became a pivotal moment in the 2019 protests. A total of 45 people were jailed for conspiring to commit subversion. Two of the defendants were acquitted in May. The sentences were widely condemned by the international community including the UK and the US. Claudia Mo, known affectionately in Cantonese as Auntie Mo, is among the most well known of the group. A prominent opposition lawmaker, the 67-year-old helped set up the now disbanded opposition Civic Party in 2006 and by 2012 she had won a seat in LegCo. She was among 15 lawmakers who resigned en masse from LegCo after four pro-democracy lawmakers were ousted in November 2020. The move left LegCo with no opposition presence. Kwok Ka-ki and Jeremy Tam were also former Civic Party lawmakers. Gary Fan was a co-founder of another opposition party, the Neo Democrats. — BBC
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Hong Kong frees four pro-democracy lawmakers after completing jail terms
Hong Kong has released four former opposition lawmakers who were among dozens of pro-democracy leaders jailed under the city's controversial National Security Law (NSL). The four - Claudia Mo, Kwok Ka-ki, Jeremy Tam and Gary Fan - had pleaded guilty and were each sentenced to four years and two months behind bars in November. They were released on Tuesday because the fact they they had been in prison since their arrests in 2021 was taken into account when calculating their sentence. The four lawmakers were part of a group known as the Hong Kong 47. They were accused of trying to overthrow the government by running an unofficial primary to pick opposition candidates for local elections. Police said they had left their correctional facilities early on Tuesday. This was the biggest trial under the national security law (NSL) which China imposed on the city shortly after explosive pro-democracy protests in 2019. Hundreds of thousands took to the streets in a months-long standoff against Beijing. Triggered by a proposed government treaty that would have allowed extradition to mainland China, the protests quickly grew to reflect wider demands for democratic reform. Beijing and Hong Kong authorities argue the law is necessary to maintain stability and deny it has weakened autonomy. But critics have called it "the end of Hong Kong" and say it has created a climate of fear in the city. The Hong Kong 47 included famous figures like Joshua Wong and Benny Tai, who were icons of the 2014 pro-democracy protests that rocked Hong Kong. Others were arrested after they stormed the city's Legislative Council (LegCo) and spray-painted Hong Kong's emblem in what became a pivotal moment in the 2019 protests. A total of 45 people were jailed for conspiring to commit subversion. Two of the defendants were acquitted in May. The sentences were widely condemned by the international community including the UK and the US. Claudia Mo, known affectionately in Cantonese as Auntie Mo, is among the most well known of the group. A prominent opposition lawmaker, the 67-year-old helped set up the now disbanded opposition Civic Party in 2006 and by 2012 she had won a seat in LegCo. She was among 15 lawmakers who resigned en masse from LegCo after four pro-democracy lawmakers were ousted in November 2020. The move left LegCo with no opposition presence. Kwok Ka-ki and Jeremy Tam were also former Civic Party lawmakers. Gary Fan was a co-founder of another opposition party, the Neo Democrats. Who are the activists jailed in Hong Kong's largest national security trial? Hong Kong jails 45 pro-democracy campaigners for subversion What is Hong Kong's national security law?
