Hong Kong: 47 pro-democracy activists tried for undermining national security
Pro-democracy demonstration in Hong Kong, December 8, 2019. REUTERS / Danish Siddiqui
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1 min
The river trial of 47 opposition figures, including most of the heavyweights of Hong Kong political life, began on Monday, February 6.
These men and women are charged with sedition following their participation in a primary in July 2020 and if found guilty, they face very heavy sentences of up to life in prison.
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With our correspondent in Hong Kong
,
Florence de Changy
Among the 47 defendants in the defendant's box, at least half are well-known figures and even pillars of Hong Kong political life, party leaders and seasoned MPs.
Others, on the contrary, are young and new faces, they represented the new guard, the future of the opposition.
A future destroyed by
national security law
.
There is no longer any pro-democracy opposition in Hong Kong and it is through this trial that the authorities will attempt to permanently remove from political life those who made it exist.
“
Political persecution
”
“
I think this trial is political persecution and a farce in every sense of the word.
Because any judge with any integrity, any legal system based on
common law
and respect for human rights would have dismissed this case two years ago
,” said attorney Dennis Kwok, former member of the Civic Party, who went into exile in the United States.
Of the 47 charged, 34 have been kept in prison for almost two years, as a preventive measure.
Sixteen chose to plead guilty, simply in the hope of having their sentences reduced.
And three would have agreed to become prosecution witnesses.
The trial is expected to last until the summer.
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Grand Reportage - Hong Kong: the former rebel city silenced by Beijing
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