Fourteen Hong Kong democrats convicted in historic subversion trial | Global News

Fourteen Hong Kong pro-democracy activists were found guilty in a landmark subversion trial on Thursday, with two others acquitted. The verdicts come more than three years after 47 democrats were arrested in dawn raids across the city and charged with conspiracy to commit subversion under a national security law imposed by China.

The sentencing for those found guilty will come at a later date, with potential prison terms ranging from three years to life. Thirty-one defendants pleaded guilty, while four became prosecution witnesses.

Critics, including the U.S. and some other countries, have condemned the trial as politically motivated and called for the immediate release of the accused. Diplomats from several countries, including the U.S. and the European Union, attended the hearing.

The defendants were accused of a “vicious plot” to paralyze the government and force the city’s leader to resign through a pre-selection ballot in a 2020 election. The judges summarized that if successful, it would have created a constitutional crisis and interfered with the government’s duties.

The mass conviction has been described as a ruthless illustration of how Hong Kong’s national security law is used to silence dissent. Amnesty International’s China director called it a near-total purge of the political opposition.

The national security laws imposed by Beijing in 2020 have led to a crackdown on democratic campaigners, media outlets, and NGOs in Hong Kong. The once-lively protests and demonstrations have essentially ceased amid intense policing.

The defendants, including former lawmakers and activists, have been detained since February 2021 and have gone through marathon bail hearings. The prosecution has labeled some, like former law scholar Benny Tai and activist Joshua Wong, as masterminds of the conspiracy.