Profiles of political prisoners
This page contains profiles of arrested, prosecuted and jailed pro-democracy activists.
As there is no international legal definition of ‘political prisoner’, Hong Kong Watch takes guidance from the Council of Europe and the U.S. Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC)’s definitions of political prisoners, and has produced our own one which we use for our Political Prisoner Database.
Here is the official Hong Kong Watch definition of ‘political prisoner’:
Q: What is a ‘political prisoner?’
A: A ‘political prisoner’ is an individual detained for exercising his or her human rights under international law, such as peaceful assembly, freedom of religion, freedom of association and freedom of expression, including the freedom to advocate for peaceful social or political change, and to criticise government policy or government officials.
Furthermore, a person is a political prisoner if the detention has been imposed for purely political reasons without connection to any offence; if, for political motives, the length of the detention or its conditions are clearly out of proportion to the offence the person has been found guilty of or is suspected of; if, for political motives, he or she is detained in a discriminatory manner as compared to other persons; or, if the detention is the result of proceedings which were clearly unfair and this appears to be connected with political motives of the authorities.”
Hong Kong Watch does not include any cases that have violence or other criminal acts that are illegal in other jurisdictions.
Q: What is the Hong Kong Watch Political Prisoner Database?
A: The Hong Kong Watch Political Prisoner Database is a research-based repository of peaceful political prisoners in Hong Kong who were detained for exercising their human rights under international law who were held or are being held in public detention centres, prisons, re-education through labour centres, or other detention facilities, or who are held under other forms of official control.
The Hong Kong Watch Political Prisoner Database also includes an archive of individuals who were previously political prisoners or are in exile, who are at risk of imprisonment if they return to Hong Kong.
Search Prisoners
Apple Daily Cases
JIMMY LAI Cases
Tiananmen Square Massacre Vigil Cases & HKASPDMC’s
Stand News cases
612 Humanitarian Relief Cases
Hong Kong 47 Cases （ pleaded guilty）
Hong Kong 47 Cases （ pleaded NOT guilty）
2019 Protest-Related Cases
Archive
