Four Former Hong Kong Lawmakers Released After Serving Sentences for National Security Violations
SHANGHAI — In a significant development in Hong Kong’s political landscape, four former lawmakers, Claudia Mo, Gary Fan, Jeremy Tam, and Kwok Ka-ki, have been released after serving four years and two months each for conspiracy to commit subversion under the national security law imposed by Beijing. Their release was confirmed by Radio Television Hong Kong and other news outlets.
These lawmakers were part of the "Hong Kong 47," arrested for organizing an unofficial primary poll in 2020 that garnered participation from over 600,000 citizens. The primary aimed to strengthen pro-democracy representation ahead of legislative elections, which were subsequently postponed under the pretext of the pandemic. Amidst this tumult, police arrested dozens, leading to charges filed against 47 individuals; only two were acquitted.
Prosecutors argued the poll was a blatant attempt to undermine the government, while critics viewed the legal actions as part of a broader crackdown on dissent and democracy in Hong Kong, following the imposition of the national security law in 2020. This law, introduced in response to widespread protests in 2019, has been criticized for undermining the autonomy promised to Hong Kong when it was handed back to China in 1997.
Benny Tai, a key organizer of the primary and a notable activist from the Umbrella Movement in 2014, received the longest sentence of 10 years. While Beijing claimed the national security law was essential for restoring order, many see it as a tool to stifle political opposition and civil liberties in Hong Kong. The release of these lawmakers marks a pivotal moment in the ongoing struggle for political freedom in the territory.
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