Top Hong Kong pro-democracy leaders sentenced to jail under controversial national security law

Dozens of apical democracy activists successful Hong Kong person been jailed nether a Beijing-imposed nationalist information instrumentality designed to crush the pro-democracy movement.

Prosecutors accused activists of plotting to paralyse the authorities by engaging successful perchance disruptive acts had they been elected.

Benny Tai, a erstwhile ineligible student identified successful the judgement arsenic a “mastermind” of the activists' plans, was sentenced to 10 years successful jail, the longest condemnation truthful acold nether the 2020 nationalist information law.

Western governments person criticised the trial, describing it arsenic politically motivated and saying those sentenced should beryllium released arsenic they had been legally and peacefully participating successful governmental activities.

The judges said the sentences had been reduced for defendants who said they were unaware the program was unlawful.

However, the tribunal said the penalties were not reduced for Tai and erstwhile lawmaker Alvin Yeung due to the fact that they are lawyers who were "absolutely adamant successful pushing for the implementation of the Scheme."

In the judgement posted online, the judges claimed that Mr Tai fundamentally "advocated for a revolution" by publishing a bid of articles implicit a play of months that traced his thinking, adjacent though successful a missive seeking a shorter condemnation Tai said the steps were "never intended to beryllium utilized arsenic blueprint for immoderate governmental action."

Two of the 47 archetypal defendants were acquitted earlier this year. The remainder either pleaded blameworthy oregon were recovered blameworthy of conspiracy to perpetrate subversion. 

The judges said successful their verdict that the activists' plans to effect alteration done the unofficial superior would person undermined the government's authorization and created a law crisis.

The Chinese and Hong Kong governments accidental the nationalist information laws were indispensable to reconstruct bid aft wide pro-democracy protests successful 2019.

Gwyneth Ho, who was sentenced to 7 years, wrote successful a Facebook post: “Our existent transgression for Beijing is that we were not contented with playing on successful manipulated elections.”

Chan Po-ying, woman of sentenced suspect Leung Kwok-hung, told reporters she wasn't shocked erstwhile she learned her hubby received a jailhouse word of six years and 9 months. 

She said they were trying to usage immoderate of the rights granted by the city's mini-constitution to unit those who are successful powerfulness to code the volition of the people.

Activists accidental the prosecutions amusement however Beijing's committedness to clasp the erstwhile British colony's civilian liberties for 50 years erstwhile it returned to China successful 1997 is progressively threadbare.

The US Consulate successful Hong Kong said the U.S. powerfully condemned the sentences, saying: “The defendants were aggressively prosecuted and jailed for peacefully participating successful mean governmental enactment protected nether Hong Kong's Basic Law.”

Conservative erstwhile person Sir Iain Duncan Smith, erstwhile chancellor Jeremy Hunt, and Labour erstwhile curate Dame Meg Hillier are among the elder governmental figures to person joined calls for Mr Lai's release.

Mr Lai was jailed successful precocious 2020 and is presently being held successful solitary confinement aft being accused of violating nationalist information laws implicit his pro-democracy activities.