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The Independent
2 days ago
- General
- The Independent
Hong Kong frees four more pro-democracy activists jailed in national security trial
Four more of the '47 democrats' jailed in the Hong Kong national security trial were released on Friday, ending over four years of incarceration. The second group of pro-democracy activists to be released in a month, they were convicted of hatching a conspiracy to commit subversion by organising an unofficial primary election in July 2020. They were sentenced last November. Jimmy Sham and fellow former district councillors Kinda Li, Roy Tam and Henry Wong left prison in the early hours of Friday in a seven-seater vehicle with curtains drawn. They went straight to their residences, Hong Kong Free Press reported. Mr Sham led one of Hong Kong's largest pro-democracy groups, the Civil Human Rights Front, which was disbanded in 2021. The group had helped organise big marches during the pro-democracy protests of 2019 which grew violent at times and had a major impact on business and tourism. "Let me spend some time with my family," he said after reaching home in Kowloon. "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.' The pro-democracy activists were found guilty of organising an unofficial "primary election" in 2020 to pick candidates for a legislative election that was later postponed. The prosecutors said the activists were plotting to paralyse the government by engaging in potentially disruptive acts once elected. Their trial under the national security law was denounced as 'politically motivated' by the US and its allies who demanded their release. Beijing and Hong Kong rejected the allegations saying everyone was equal under the law and these activists had received a fair trial. In late April, Hong Kong had released former lawmakers Claudia Mo, Kwok Ka-Ki, Jeremy Tam, and Gary Fan from prison. China has cracked down heavily on opposition groups in Hong Kong since the 2019 protests and also targeted the liberal civil society and media outlets under sweeping and contentious national security laws imposed in 2020. Of the '47 democrats' arrested in the wake of the 2019 protests, 45 were convicted following a marathon trial and given sentences as long as 10 years. Two were acquitted.
The Guardian
2 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.
South China Morning Post
2 days ago
- General
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong 47: Jimmy Sham, 3 other pro-democracy figures, released from prison
Jimmy Sham Tsz-kit, one of the 47 Hong Kong pro-democracy figures charged in the city's largest national security case, 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 4 years and 3 months in prison in November 2024, with the time he spent in pre-trial detention also taken into account. He was seen emerging from Shek Pik Prison on Lantau Island under heavy police escort, and also near his residence in Jordan, where he arrived at around 6.30am, according to local media reports. 'Let me spend some time with my family first, we can talk in the afternoon,' he said, nodding and smiling at reporters at the scene. Li, Tam and Wong, who are all former district councillors, were also released around the same time – Li and Wong from Stanley Prison, Tam from Pik Uk Correctional Institution.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Second group of Hong Kong democrats freed after 4 years in jail
HONG KONG (Reuters) -Four people jailed in the landmark Hong Kong national security trial of "47 democrats" 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 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, 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 anti-government protests in 2019 that turned violent at times and had a big impact on business and tourism. The others who were released were Kinda Li, Roy Tam and Henry Wong. 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. 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. 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 following 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 engaging in potentially disruptive acts had they been elected. Some Western governments including the U.S. 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. (Reporting By Joyce Zhou and Tyrone Siu; Writing by Anne Marie Roantree; Editing by Michael Perry)
