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CNA
a day ago
- Politics
- CNA
Hong Kong court hears appeals by jailed democracy campaigners
HONG KONG: A Hong Kong court began hearing appeals on Monday (Jul 14) from 12 democracy campaigners jailed for subversion last year during the city's largest national security trial. They were among 45 opposition figures, including some of Hong Kong's best-known democracy activists, who were sentenced in November over a 2020 informal primary election that authorities deemed a subversive plot. Critics including the United States, Britain and the European Union said the case showed how a Beijing-imposed national security law has eroded freedoms and quashed peaceful opposition in Hong Kong. Ex-lawmakers "Long Hair" Leung Kwok-hung, Lam Cheuk-ting, Helena Wong and Raymond Chan are among those contesting their convictions and sentences in hearings that are scheduled to last 10 days. Owen Chow, a 28-year-old activist who was sentenced to seven years and nine months in jail - the harshest penalty among the dozen - has also lodged an appeal. Former district councillor Michael Pang withdrew his appeal application on Monday morning, leaving a total of 12 appellants. Some of them have already spent more than four years behind bars. The activists were accused of organising or taking part in an unofficial primary election that aimed to improve the pro-democracy camp's chances of winning a majority in the legislature. They had hoped, once a majority was secured, to force the government to accede to demands such as universal suffrage by threatening to indiscriminately veto the budget - a plan that trial judges said would have caused a "constitutional crisis". Defence lawyer Erik Shum said that vetoing the budget was a form of "check and balance" built into Hong Kong's mini-constitution that lawmakers could deploy as a last resort. "In order to check the unpopular exercise of powers by the executive, one of the important measures is to tie the purse," he told the court. Shum said lawmakers should not be answerable to the courts over how they vote because of the separation of powers. PROSECUTORS SEEK REVERSAL Prosecutors also challenged the acquittal of lawyer Lawrence Lau, one of two people found not guilty in May 2024 from an original group of 47 accused. Lau's "overall conduct" showed that he was party to the conspiracy and he should be tried again because the lower court made the wrong factual finding, the prosecution said. Lau, representing himself, said the trial court's findings should not be "casually interfered" with. "I have never advocated for the resignation of the chief executive, I have never advocated the indiscriminate vetoing of the financial budget," Lau told the court, referring to core tenets of the alleged conspiracy. Beijing has remoulded Hong Kong in its authoritarian image after imposing a sweeping national security law in 2020 following months of huge, and sometimes violent, demonstrations. Authorities arrested figures from a broad cross-section of the city's opposition in morning raids in 2021, the group later being dubbed the "Hong Kong 47". Aged between 27 and 69, they included democratically elected lawmakers and district councillors, as well as unionists, academics and others ranging from modest reformists to radical localists. Dozens of police officers were deployed outside the West Kowloon court building on Monday morning as people queued to attend the hearing. "They made a sacrifice ... I hope they understand that Hongkongers have not forgotten them," said a public hospital worker in his thirties surnamed Chow. Amnesty International's China director Sarah Brooks said the appeal would be a "pivotal test" for free expression in the Chinese finance hub.
France 24
2 days ago
- Politics
- France 24
Hong Kong court hears appeals by jailed democracy campaigners
They were among 45 opposition figures, including some of Hong Kong's best-known democracy activists, who were sentenced in November over a 2020 informal primary election that authorities deemed a subversive plot. Critics including the United States, Britain and the European Union said the case showed how a Beijing-imposed national security law has eroded freedoms and quashed peaceful opposition in Hong Kong. Ex-lawmakers "Long Hair" Leung Kwok-hung, Lam Cheuk-ting, Helena Wong and Raymond Chan are among those contesting their convictions and sentences in hearings that are scheduled to last 10 days. Owen Chow, a 28-year-old activist who was sentenced to seven years and nine months in jail -- the harshest penalty among the dozen -- has also lodged an appeal. Former district councillor Michael Pang withdrew his appeal application on Monday morning, leaving a total of 12 appellants. Some of them have already spent more than four years behind bars. Amnesty International's China director Sarah Brooks said the appeal will be a "pivotal test" for free expression in the Chinese finance hub. "Only by overturning these convictions can Hong Kong's courts begin to restore the city's global standing as a place where rights are respected and where people are allowed to peacefully express their views without fear of arrest," Brooks said. Dozens of police officers were deployed outside the West Kowloon court building on Monday morning as people queued to attend the hearing. "They made a sacrifice... I hope they understand that Hongkongers have not forgotten them," said a public hospital worker in his thirties surnamed Chow. A 66-year-old retiree surnamed Chan said the case made him feel "helpless", adding that fewer people were paying attention as court proceedings dragged on. "I don't expect any (positive) outcome, but I still want to support them." Prosecutors seek reversal Prosecutors began Monday's session by challenging the acquittal of lawyer Lawrence Lau, one of two people found not guilty in May 2024 from an original group of 47 accused. Lau's "overall conduct" showed that he was party to the conspiracy and he should be tried again because the lower court made the wrong factual finding, the prosecution argued. Lau, representing himself, replied that the trial court's findings should not be "casually interfered" with. "... I have never advocated for the resignation of the chief executive, I have never advocated the indiscriminate vetoing of the financial budget," Lau told the court, referring to core tenets of the alleged conspiracy. Beijing has remoulded Hong Kong in its authoritarian image after imposing a sweeping national security law in 2020 following months of huge, and sometimes violent, pro-democracy demonstrations. Authorities arrested figures from a broad cross-section of the city's opposition in morning raids in 2021, a group later dubbed the "Hong Kong 47". The group, aged between 27 and 69, included democratically elected lawmakers and district councillors, as well as unionists, academics and others with political stances ranging from modest reformists to radical localists. They were accused of organising or taking part in an unofficial primary election, which aimed to improve the chances of pro-democracy parties of winning a majority in the legislature. The activists had hoped to force the government to accede to demands such as universal suffrage by threatening to indiscriminately veto the budget. Three senior judges handpicked by the government to try security cases said the plan would have caused a "constitutional crisis".
Arab News
2 days ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Hong Kong court hears appeals by jailed democracy campaigners
HONG KONG: A Hong Kong court began hearing appeals on Monday from 12 democracy campaigners who were jailed for subversion last year during the city's largest national security were among 45 opposition figures, including some of Hong Kong's best-known democracy activists, who were sentenced in November over a 2020 informal primary election that authorities deemed a subversive including the United States, Britain and the European Union said the case showed how a Beijing-imposed national security law has eroded freedoms and quashed peaceful opposition in Hong 'Long Hair' Leung Kwok-hung, Lam Cheuk-ting, Helena Wong and Raymond Chan are among those contesting their convictions and sentences in hearings that are scheduled to last 10 Chow, a 28-year-old activist who was sentenced to seven years and nine months in jail – the harshest penalty among the dozen – has also lodged an district councilor Michael Pang withdrew his appeal application on Monday morning, leaving a total of 12 of them have already spent more than four years behind International's China director Sarah Brooks said the appeal will be a 'pivotal test' for free expression in the Chinese finance hub.'Only by overturning these convictions can Hong Kong's courts begin to restore the city's global standing as a place where rights are respected and where people are allowed to peacefully express their views without fear of arrest,' Brooks of police officers were deployed outside the West Kowloon court building on Monday morning as people queued to attend the hearing.'They made a sacrifice... I hope they understand that Hongkongers have not forgotten them,' said a public hospital worker in his thirties surnamed Chow.A 66-year-old retiree surnamed Chan said the case made him feel 'helpless,' adding that fewer people were paying attention as court proceedings dragged on.'I don't expect any (positive) outcome, but I still want to support them.'Prosecutors began Monday's session by challenging the acquittal of lawyer Lawrence Lau, one of two people found not guilty in May 2024 from an original group of 47 'overall conduct' showed that he was party to the conspiracy and he should be tried again because the lower court made the wrong factual finding, the prosecution representing himself, replied that the trial court's findings should not be 'casually interfered' with.'… I have never advocated for the resignation of the chief executive, I have never advocated the indiscriminate vetoing of the financial budget,' Lau told the court, referring to core tenets of the alleged has remolded Hong Kong in its authoritarian image after imposing a sweeping national security law in 2020 following months of huge, and sometimes violent, pro-democracy arrested figures from a broad cross-section of the city's opposition in morning raids in 2021, a group later dubbed the 'Hong Kong 47.'The group, aged between 27 and 69, included democratically elected lawmakers and district councilors, as well as unionists, academics and others with political stances ranging from modest reformists to radical were accused of organizing or taking part in an unofficial primary election, which aimed to improve the chances of pro-democracy parties of winning a majority in the activists had hoped to force the government to accede to demands such as universal suffrage by threatening to indiscriminately veto the senior judges handpicked by the government to try security cases said the plan would have caused a 'constitutional crisis.'
France 24
2 days ago
- Politics
- France 24
Hong Kong court to hear appeals by jailed democracy campaigners
They were among 45 opposition figures, including some of Hong Kong's best-known democracy activists, who were sentenced in November over a 2020 informal primary election that authorities deemed a subversive plot. Critics including the United States, Britain and the European Union said the case showed how a Beijing-imposed national security law has eroded freedoms and quashed peaceful opposition in Hong Kong. Ex-lawmakers "Long Hair" Leung Kwok-hung, Lam Cheuk-ting, Helena Wong and Raymond Chan are among those contesting their convictions and sentences in hearings that are scheduled to last 10 days. Owen Chow, a 28-year-old activist who was sentenced to seven years and nine months in jail -- the harshest penalty among the 13 -- has also lodged an appeal. Some of the appellants have already spent more than four years behind bars. Amnesty International's China director Sarah Brooks said the appeal will be a "pivotal test" for free expression in the Chinese finance hub. "Only by overturning these convictions can Hong Kong's courts begin to restore the city's global standing as a place where rights are respected and where people are allowed to peacefully express their views without fear of arrest," Brooks said. Morning raids Prosecutors will concurrently challenge on Monday the lower court's acquittal of lawyer Lawrence Lau, one of two people found not guilty from an original group of 47 accused. Activist Tam Tak-chi, who pleaded guilty in the subversion case, had also indicated he would appeal against his sentence but withdrew. Beijing has remoulded Hong Kong in its authoritarian image after imposing a sweeping national security law in 2020 following months of huge, and sometimes violent, pro-democracy demonstrations. Authorities arrested figures from a broad cross-section of the city's opposition in morning raids in 2021, a group later dubbed the "Hong Kong 47". The group, aged between 27 and 69, included democratically elected lawmakers and district councillors, as well as unionists, academics and others with political stances ranging from modest reformists to radical localists. They were accused of organising or taking part in an unofficial primary election, which aimed to improve the chances of pro-democracy parties of winning a majority in the legislature. The activists had hoped to force the government to accede to demands such as universal suffrage by threatening to indiscriminately veto the budget. Three senior judges handpicked by the government to try security cases said the plan would have caused a "constitutional crisis". Beijing and Hong Kong officials have defended the national security law as being necessary to restore order following the 2019 protests. Opposition party the League of Social Democrats -- co-founded by Leung -- announced its disbandment last month, citing "immense political pressure". Eight of the jailed campaigners, including journalist and lawmaker Claudia Mo and LGBTQ activist Jimmy Sham, have been released in recent weeks after completing their sentences. © 2025 AFP
