Twelve Hong Kong activists appeal convictions in landmark case

Bangkok Post Group

Twelve Hong Kong pro-democracy activists appealed their subversion convictions and jail terms on Monday in a national security case that has spotlighted Beijing's ongoing crackdown on dissent and drawn international criticism. - REUTERS

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00:00Security was tight as 12 Hong Kong pro-democracy activists appealed their

00:05subversion convictions in jail terms on Monday. The appeal stems from the so-called 47 Democrats

00:12case, named for the number of activists who were arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit

00:17subversion in early 2021. The court eventually found all but two of the defendants guilty of

00:22organizing and holding an unofficial primary election in July 2020. Prosecutors considered

00:28the action to be a plot to undermine the Hong Kong government. Of the 16 Democrats who pleaded not

00:33guilty during the trial, 11 have decided to appeal, while another who pleaded guilty is appealing her

00:39sentence. The case has spotlighted Beijing's ongoing crackdown on dissent and drawn international

00:44criticism. Some countries, including the United States, have condemned the case as politically

00:50motivated. They are calling for the immediate release of the Democrats who were sentenced last

00:55November to prison terms of up to 10 years. Hong Kong and Chinese authorities have defended the

01:00independence of the judiciary and say no one is above the law and the Democrats have received a

01:06fair trial. The appeals are expected to take around 10 days and will also include a government appeal

01:12against the acquittal of one of the Democrats.

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