Heavy police presence on the sentencing day for the 45 pro-democracy activists convicted of violating the Beijing-imposed National Security Law, outside a court in Hong Kong, China, on November 19, 2024.
Heavy police presence on the sentencing day for the 45 pro-democracy activists convicted of violating the Beijing-imposed National Security Law, outside a court in Hong Kong, China, on November 19, 2024.
Photo Daniel Ceng/Anadolu via Getty Images

45 well-known pro-democracy figures in Hong Kong were sentenced in a mass trial on Tuesday under the national security law implemented in 2020, the Hong Kong Free Press reported. It is the largest case of its kind invoked under the national security law.

Among those who were sentenced was former law professor Benny Tai, prominent activist Joshua Wong, and artist and elected official Clarisse Yeung. They are among 47 pro-democracy activists who were arrested and charged in 2021 with conspiracy to commit subversion under a national security law imposed by the Chinese government. The Hong Kong 47, as they became known, were accused of attempting to paralyze the government with disruptive acts. The charges were made after an unofficial primary election was held in July 2020. The majority of those 47 have been detained as they awaited a trial and sentencing.

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Yeung was sentenced to 78 months (or 6.5 years) in prison on charges of “subversion”, according to Artnet News. During Hong Kong’s 2014 pro-democracy protests, Yeung helped track down various art installations and photographs linked to the movement for the Umbrella Movement Visual Archive. She won a seat in the district council in Wan Chai against a pro-China candidate in 2016 and later became chair of the Wan Chai District Council in 2019.

Court records indicate, however, that Yeung was granted a three-month reduction in sentence for “her possible mistake as to the lawfulness of the scheme”, as well as an additional three-month reduction due to letters praising her efforts for cultural policies and charities.

Tai, who is believed to be a key figure in the movement, received the longest sentence at 10 years.

The other 43 defendants received sentences varying from 50 months (or 4 years and 2 months) to 10 years in prison. The two additional defendants were acquitted in a May hearing.

In 2019, protests against China’s increasing influence and control over Hong Kong helped to galvanize the pro-democracy movement with record voter turnouts. By 2020, however, things began to shift with the 2020 Hong Kong Legislative Council election postponed due to the pandemic. The same year, the Hong Kong government invoked a national security law that criminalized “separatism, subversion, terrorism and foreign interference.”

Since the national security law was put in place, many pro-democracy supporters have either gone to prison or fled for their safety. Additionally, several civil groups and independent media outlets have closed as a result.

Western nations have largely condemned the trial of the Hong Kong 47 as politically motivated.