Hong Kong Watch strongly condemns sentencing of 45 of the Hong Kong 47 democrats
Today, the Hong Kong government issued sentences for 45 of 47 Hong Kong democrats, known as the ‘Hong Kong 47’. The sentences range from 4 years, 2 months to 10 years’ imprisonment for former professor and co-founder of the 2014 Occupy Central Movement Benny Tai.
You can read the full verdict here, and view the sentences for the first 24 democrats here and the subsequent 23 here.
The Hong Kong 47 were initially arrested in January 2021 and are accused of subversion under the Hong Kong National Security Law for organising and participating in peaceful “unofficial” primary elections for the Hong Kong Legislative Council, which took place in July 2020.
In May this year, 14 of the 47 were found guilty of “conspiring to commit subversion”. Many of the defendants have already been behind bars for over three years, and two were acquitted. This trial has lacked a jury and today, there were only five seats available in the public gallery of the courtroom.
The Hong Kong 47 includes former legislators, activists, and trade unionists, ranging from 27 to 68 years old and including prominent names such as Joshua Wong, Claudia Mo, and Gwyneth Ho. Hong Kong Watch Advisor Ted Hui also participated in the primary elections, but is now in exile. You can read more about the individuals involved on our political prisoners database.
This trial is the largest and one of the most significant national security trials since the National Security Law was imposed by Beijing on Hong Kong in 2020. These sentences will set a precedent for other cases which involve those who have criticised the Hong Kong government and mark another downward turn in the crackdown on Hong Kong.
The international community must robustly respond to the sentencing of 45 of the Hong Kong 47 through issuing strong statements and imposing sanctions on those responsible. Specifically:
The UK government should expand the British National (Overseas) (BNO) visa scheme to those born before the 1997 handover with at least one BNO-status parent, to allow those who did not have the chance to apply for BNO status themselves to flee from increasing repression in Hong Kong.
The US government should renew Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) for Hong Kongers in the US, to prevent them from being forced to return to Hong Kong where the human rights environment continues to worsen.
The Canadian government should clear the backlog of Hong Kong Pathway applications to prevent the expiration of temporary status for Hong Kongers in Canada before their permanent residence applications are processed, to ensure they do not face risk of returning to Hong Kong due to expired status.
You can read Hong Kong Watch’s briefing on the trial of the Hong Kong 47 here.
Lord Patten of Barnes, the last Governor of Hong Kong and Patron of Hong Kong Watch, said:
“The sentencing of 45 of the 47 Hong Kong democrats is not only an affront to the people of Hong Kong, but those who value rights and freedoms around the world. These brave individuals were an integral part of defining the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong, and were peacefully supported by thousands through votes. I absolutely condemn these sham sentences, which resulted from a non-jury trial and point to the destruction of freedoms of assembly, expression, and the press in Hong Kong. The UK government must not allow the results of this case to go unnoticed or uncondemned.”
Ambassador Derek Mitchell, Senior Adviser of the Center for Strategic and International Studies and Patron of Hong Kong Watch, said:
“The sentencing of the Hong Kong 47 is another dark milestone in the regression of Hong Kong’s democracy and society. The international community must strongly condemn this crime and stand with these brave former legislators, activists, journalists, and trade unionists who fought resolutely for democracy, rights and freedom against the tyranny of the Chinese Communist Party.”
Senator Leo Housakos, Member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade and Patron of Hong Kong Watch, said:
“The sentencing of the Hong Kong 47 further perpetuates the grave injustice of the draconian National Security Law. The National Security Law and the prosecution of these freedom fighters undermine the principles of freedom, human rights, and rule of law.”
香港監察強烈譴責47人案判刑 呼籲國際社會採取行動強烈回應
香港法院今天即將就「民主派初選47人案」中45名罪成被告判刑。這宗案件不設陪審團，今天正庭公眾旁聽座位更只有五席。
案件今年5月裁決，16名不認罪被告中有14人被裁定「串謀顛覆國家政權」罪成，其餘兩人則被判無罪。罪成被告的刑期介乎三年至終身監禁，當中許多人已被還押三年有多。
這47名民主派人士最初於2021年1月被捕，因涉於2020年7月組織及參與香港立法會和平「非正式」初選，被控《國家安全法》下的「串謀顛覆國家政權」罪。
這47人現年27至68歲，當中有前立法會議員、社運人士和工會成員，包括黃之鋒、毛孟靜、戴耀廷、何桂藍等知名人士。香港監察顧問許智峯亦有參與初選，但現正流亡。請瀏覽香港監察政治犯資料庫，了解更多有關涉案人士的資料。
47人案是自2020年北京在香港強推 《國安法》以來，最大型且數一數二重大的國安案件。相關判決會為其他涉及批評香港政府的案件開創先例，標誌着對香港的打壓再度惡化。
國際社會必須透過發表強硬聲明並制裁肇事者，強烈回應47人案中45名被告的判決。具體來說：
英國政府應拓展BNO簽證計劃至1997年主權移交前出生而父母其中一方持有BNO身分的港人，讓當時沒機會自行申請BNO身分的人能夠逃離香港日趨加劇的打壓。
美國政府應延長為居美港人而設的「延遲強制離境」（DED）計劃期限，防止他們被迫遣返人權狀況持續惡化的香港。
加拿大政府應清理積壓的「Hong Kong Pathway」申請個案，防止居加港人的臨時身分在永居申請獲批核前到期，確保他們不會因身分過期而面臨回港風險。
請在此處閱讀香港監察有關47人案的簡報。
最後一任香港總督、香港監察贊助人彭定康勳爵（Lord Patten of Barnes）表示：
「47名香港民主派人士中有45人須待判刑，不單是對香港人的侮辱，也是對世界各地珍視權利和自由者的侮辱。這些勇敢港人是香港民主運動不可或缺的一員，並獲上萬人用選票和平支持。我嚴厲譴責這些在無陪審團的情況下審理的假判刑，破壞香港集會、言論和新聞自由。英國政府絕不能對本案判決坐視不理，亦不能不加以譴責。」
美國智庫「戰略暨國際研究中心」資深顧問、香港監察贊助人Ambassador Derek Mitchell表示：
「香港47人案的判決是香港民主和社會倒退的又一黑暗里程碑。國際社會必須強烈譴責這項罪行，支持這些勇敢的前立法會議員、社運人士、記者和工會成員，他們堅決對抗中共暴政，爭取民主、權利和自由。」