Hong Kong arrest of 45 pro-democracy activists draws criticism from foreign governments, rights groups

Forty-five prominent activists in Hong Kong were sentenced to up to ten years on Tuesday, sparking criticism from foreign governments and rights groups. Beijing defended the decisions.

The pro-democracy advocates were among 47 people charged under a national security law imposed by Beijing in 2021 for their involvement in illegal primary elections to select candidates for opposition parties. In the city’s biggest national security case to date, they are accused of approving the government’s proposed budget after securing a legislative majority that would force the dissolution of the Legislature and the ouster of the city’s leader.

The case involved pro-democracy figures. 31 of them pleaded guilty to plotting a coup. Another 14 were convicted following a lengthy trial. Two were released.

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said her government was “deeply concerned” by the sentencing of Australian citizen Gordon Ng and other activists. Wong said Australia expressed strong opposition to the Chinese and Hong Kong authorities’ continued broad application of national security law.

Catherine West, minister for the Indo-Pacific at the British Foreign Office, said the sentence shows how Hong Kong authorities are using security law to criminalize political dissent.

“Those sentenced today were exercising their right to freedom of speech, assembly and political participation,” he said.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said no one should be allowed to use democracy as an excuse to do illegal things and escape justice. Lin said that some Western countries do not take into account that they maintain their own national security through judicial processes while unfairly criticizing Hong Kong courts for “correctly applying” the security law.

“This is a serious violation and violates the spirit of the law,” he said at a press conference.

He said Beijing strongly opposes what he described as the interference of some Western countries in China’s internal affairs and their attempts to pollute Hong Kong’s law.

The European Union called the sentence “another unprecedented blow” against the city’s fundamental freedoms, democratic participation and pluralism.

The organization said in a statement that its members are very concerned about the persecution of people who do peaceful political activities. It said such activities should be legal in any political system that respects the basic principles of democracy.

Hong Kong leader John Lee said that the plan of these activists is to undermine, destroy or overthrow the political system in this city.

The government said the case was handled in a strict legal manner.

Hong Kong Security Minister Chris Tang said the sentences reflect the gravity of the cases. Tang said national security helps protect the city’s prosperity, so his government takes any violation of the law seriously.

“Different people may have different decisions about whether this sentence is appropriate. But I think the important point is the rule of law,” he said at a news conference.

Taiwan’s presidential office spokeswoman Karen Kuo said democracy is not a crime and criticized the Chinese government for using what she called unfair procedures to suppress political participation and freedom of expression for pro-democracy Hong Kongers.

The sentence “not only violates the promises of ’50 years of no change’ and ‘a high level of independence,’ but also proves that ‘one country, two systems’ is impossible,” he said in a statement.

When Hong Kong returned from British to Chinese rule in 1997, Beijing has promised to maintain its Western-style freedom 50 years under the regulatory principle of “one country, two systems.”

The spokesperson of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Jeremy Laurence, said that he is very concerned about the use of the security law to criminalize behavior that is protected by human rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association.

“We will continue to communicate with the Chinese authorities as we have done in the past,” he said.

The State Department said it “strongly condemned” the sentences and called on the Hong Kong authorities to “immediately and unconditionally release the 45 people and similar political prisoners.”

“These harsh sentences destroy confidence in Hong Kong’s justice system and damage the city’s international reputation,” spokesman Matthew Miller said on Tuesday.

The department said it plans to “impose new visa restrictions on many Hong Kong officials responsible for implementing” the security law.

The US ambassador to Hong Kong said the defendants were severely prosecuted and jailed for participating in ordinary political activities protected under the city’s constitution, and demanded their immediate release.

In Washington, DC, the chairmen of the bipartisan Congressional-Executive Commission said the sentences violated international law and called for widespread condemnation. Rep. Chris Smith, a New Jersey Republican, and Sen. Jeff Merkley, a Democrat from Oregon, called on the Biden administration to punish judges and prosecutors responsible for “undermining democracy and human rights in Hong Kong.”

“This politically motivated prosecution is happening at the same time that dozens of American CEOs are being bribed and bribed by Hong Kong officials and are being solicited to invest in Hong Kong,” the lawmakers said. “Each of these US financial experts should be asked whether the Hong Kong government’s mass incarceration of political prisoners and general repression of the law is undermining the city’s image as a global trade and financial center.”

The last British ruler of Hong Kong, Chris Patten, said in a statement that the sentence “is not only an insult to the people of Hong Kong, but also to those who value rights and freedoms around the world.”

He condemned these “false” sentences and urged the British government not to allow the results of this case to be ignored. He said activists were an important part of the city’s pro-democracy movement.

Amnesty International’s China director, Sarah Brooks, said people convicted of “politically-related” crimes should not spend even a day in jail.

“None of the 45 convicted have committed a crime recognized by the world; they were only arrested for exercising their rights,” he said.

Maya Wang, China director at Human Rights Watch, said, “Running for an election and trying to win it now is a crime that could lead to a decade in prison in Hong Kong.”

Wang said the harsh sentences show how fast Hong Kong’s independence and legal independence have been in the past four years since the introduction of the security law.