By Jessie Pang and James Pomfret
HONG KONG (Reuters) – Dozens of Hong Kong pro-democracy activists will be sentenced later this week in a years-long subversion trial that has spotlighted what critics say are erosions to the city’s freedoms under a China-imposed national security law.
The case has drawn international scrutiny since the mass arrests of over 50 democrats in early 2021 for organising an unofficial and peaceful “primary election” in 2020 to select their strongest candidates for a local election.
Prosecutors, however, described this as a “plot” or conspiracy to paralyse government in the former British colony that returned to China in 1997.
Following are key dates:
2020
April 28 – Benny Tai, a former law professor and alleged mastermind of the conspiracy, published an article, “Ten steps to real mutual destruction”, deemed by prosecutors to be a potential roadmap for the democrats to seize a majority in the city’s legislature, then paralyse government by indiscriminately vetoing the budget and even forcing the city’s leader to resign.
June 10 – Several democrats including Owen Chow, Sam Cheung and Fergus Leung authored an online declaration, “Inked Without Regret”, pledging to use their legislative power, if elected, to pressure Beijing to allow full democracy — a key demand during mass pro-democracy and anti-China protests the year before.
June 30 – China imposes a sweeping national security law (NSL), criminalising subversion, secession, terrorism and collusion with foreign powers with possible life imprisonment.
July 11-12 – Over 600,000 people vote in the primary election in what is seen as a symbolic protest against the NSL, defying warnings from officials that the vote could be illegal.
July 30 – Hong Kong disqualifies a dozen democratic candidates from running in the September legislative council election, citing reasons including collusion with foreign forces.
July 31 – The government postpones the election, citing a spike in COVID-19 cases.
2021
Jan. 6 – 53 democratic activists and politicians are arrested on suspicion of subversion in dawn raids, the biggest crackdown to date under the NSL. They are all granted bail the next day.
Feb. 28 – 47 of the 53 are charged with conspiracy to commit subversion. All are remanded in police custody.
March 1 – The 47 appear in court for the first time. The marathon hearing is adjourned around 1:45 a.m. after defendant Clarisse Yeung faints in the courtroom and is hospitalised.
March 4 – 34 defendants are denied bail by chief magistrate Victor So after four days of hearings. The other 15 are granted bail under strict conditions but kept in custody after an appeal from prosecutors.
March 5 – Four activists are released on bail after prosecutors withdraw their appeal.
2022
July 6 – The case is transferred to the High Court, after six committal proceedings that began a year beforehand.
Aug. 16 – Hong Kong Justice Secretary Paul Lam orders the case to be tried without a jury.
Aug. 17 – Magistrate Peter Law lifts a reporting restriction on pre-trial proceedings of this case.
2023
Feb. 6 – The trial finally begins for 16 defendants pleading not guilty. They include journalist-turned-activist Gwyneth Ho, activists Owen Chow and Gordon Ng; former lawmakers Raymond Chan, Helena Wong, Leung Kwok-hung and Lam Cheuk-ting; barrister Lawrence Lau; former district councillors Tat Cheng, Clarisse Yeung, Michael Pang, Kalvin Ho, Sze Tak-loy, Ricky Or, Lee Yue-shun and labour unionist Winnie Yu.
The other 31 who pleaded guilty — including Tai, activists Joshua Wong, Prince Wong, Sam Cheung and Ng Kin-wai, ex lawmakers Eddie Chu, Wu Chi-wai and Claudia Mo — will be sentenced after the trial.
Feb. 18 – Defendant Au Nok-hin serves as a witness for the prosecution. Andrew Chiu, Ben Chung and Mike Lam later do the same.
Nov. 29 – Prosecution and defence lawyers make their closing submissions. The entire trial lasts 118 days.
2024
May 30 – High Court Judges Alex Lee, Andrew Chan and Johnny Chan convict 14 of the 16 democrats. Barrister Lawrence Lau, and activist Lee Yue-shun are acquitted.
Nov 19 – 45 activists are expected to receive sentences of up to life imprisonment
(Reporting by Jessie Pang and James Pomfret; Editing by Lincoln Feast.)
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