HONG KONG: Hundreds waited outside a Hong Kong court on Tuesday ( Nov 19 ) as a result of the landmark national security trial that had damaged the city’s once fervent pro-democracy movement and drawn international criticism.
47 pro-democracy protesters were detained and charged with conspiracy to defame in violation of Beijing’s regional security laws in 2021. The allegations relate to the preparation of an illegal “primary vote” in 2020 to choose the best candidates for upcoming parliamentary elections.
Prosecutors charged the protesters with plotting to sabotage the government by engaging in possibly disruptive functions had they been elected.
As many hundred supporters sat in line and gathered outside the West Kowloon Magistrates Court in mild rain, police established a limited security cordon around the spillover courts and the main courtroom.
” I feel like an injustice needs witnessing”, said Margaret, 59, dressed in a light jacket and dark facemask, who was in the lane since Sunday evening. ” I’ve longer followed their situation. They ( the activists ) need to know they still have public support”.
After a 118-day test, 14 of the activists , were found guilty in May, including American voter Gordon Ng and activist Owen Chow, while two were acquitted.
The other 31 pleaded guilty, including scholar activist Joshua Wong and alleged mastermind, constitutional scholar Benny Tai. When the reading begins at 10am local time, the three hand-picked national security judges was sentence them to several years in prison.