By Jessie Pang and James Pomfret
Dozens of Hong Kong pro-democracy activists will likely be sentenced later this week in a years-long subversion trial that has spotlighted what critics say are erosions to town’s freedoms underneath a China-imposed nationwide safety legislation.
The case has drawn worldwide scrutiny for the reason that mass arrests of over 50 democrats in early 2021 for organising an unofficial and peaceable “major election” in 2020 to pick their strongest candidates for an area election.
Prosecutors, nevertheless, described this as a “plot” or conspiracy to paralyse authorities within the former British colony that returned to China in 1997.
Following are key dates:
2020
April 28 – Benny Tai, a former legislation professor and alleged mastermind of the conspiracy, revealed an article, “Ten steps to actual mutual destruction”, deemed by prosecutors to be a possible roadmap for the democrats to grab a majority within the metropolis’s legislature, then paralyse authorities by indiscriminately vetoing the funds and even forcing town’s chief to resign.
June 10 – A number of democrats together with Owen Chow, Sam Cheung and Fergus Leung authored an internet declaration, “Inked With out Remorse”, pledging to make use of their legislative energy, if elected, to stress Beijing to permit full democracy — a key demand throughout mass pro-democracy and anti-China protests the yr earlier than.
June 30 – China imposes a sweeping nationwide safety legislation (NSL), criminalising subversion, secession, terrorism and collusion with overseas powers with doable life imprisonment.
July 11-12 – Over 600,000 folks vote within the major election in what’s seen as a symbolic protest towards the NSL, defying warnings from officers that the vote might be unlawful.
July 30 – Hong Kong disqualifies a dozen democratic candidates from working within the September legislative council election, citing causes together with collusion with overseas forces.
July 31 – The federal government postpones the election, citing a spike in COVID-19 instances.
2021
Jan. 6 – 53 democratic activists and politicians are arrested on suspicion of subversion in daybreak raids, the most important crackdown so far underneath the NSL. They’re all granted bail the following day.
Feb. 28 – 47 of the 53 are charged with conspiracy to commit subversion. All are remanded in police custody.
March 1 – The 47 seem in court docket for the primary time. The marathon listening to is adjourned round 1:45 a.m. after defendant Clarisse Yeung faints within the courtroom and is hospitalised.
March 4 – 34 defendants are denied bail by chief Justice of the Peace Victor So after 4 days of hearings. The opposite 15 are granted bail underneath strict circumstances however saved in custody after an enchantment from prosecutors.
March 5 – 4 activists are launched on bail after prosecutors withdraw their enchantment.
2022
July 6 – The case is transferred to the Excessive Court docket, after six committal proceedings that started a yr beforehand.
Aug. 16 – Hong Kong Justice Secretary Paul Lam orders the case to be tried with no jury.
Aug. 17 – Justice of the Peace Peter Legislation lifts a reporting restriction on pre-trial proceedings of this case.
2023
Feb. 6 – The trial lastly begins for 16 defendants pleading not responsible. They embrace 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 opposite 31 who pleaded responsible — together with Tai, activists Joshua Wong, Prince Wong, Sam Cheung and Ng Kin-wai, ex lawmakers Eddie Chu, Wu Chi-wai and Claudia Mo — will likely 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 identical.
Nov. 29 – Prosecution and defence legal professionals make their closing submissions. The whole trial lasts 118 days.
2024
Could 30 – Excessive Court docket 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 anticipated to obtain sentences of as much as life imprisonment
This text was produced by Reuters information company. It has not been edited by International South World.
