“The United States strongly condemns the sentences announced ... in Hong Kong’s National Security Law trial of pro-democracy advocates, known as the NSL 47,” declared State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller in a statement.
The 45 defendants sentenced on November 19 were aggressively prosecuted, and many now face life-altering imprisonment simply for organizing or participating in a 2020 primary held by the political opposition in Hong Kong.
The three-judge panel identified Benny Tai, 60, as the mastermind behind the activists' plans and sentenced him to 10 years in jail - the longest sentence so far under the 2020 national security law. Twenty pro-democracy activists were handed sentences ranging from five to nearly eight years. Joshua Wong, 28, a former student leader in the pro-democracy movement was among 24 others whose sentences ranged from just over four to just under five years.
Gwyneth Ho, 32, a former journalist famous for live streaming the Hong Kong pro-democracy protests in 2019, was sentenced to seven years for running as a candidate. She had refused to plead guilty. “Our true crime for Beijing is that we were not content with playing along in manipulated elections,” said a statement posted on Ms. Ho’s Facebook account. “We dared to confront the regime with the question: will democracy ever be possible within such a structure? The answer was a complete crackdown on all fronts of society.”
In response, the Department of State is taking steps to impose new visa restrictions on multiple Hong Kong officials responsible for implementation of the National Security Law. “We will continue to monitor the implementation of Hong Kong’s national security laws and promote accountability for human rights in the [People’s Republic of China] and Hong Kong,” declared Spokesperson Miller.
The United States “call[s] on Hong Kong authorities to immediately and unconditionally release these 45 individuals and similarly detained political prisoners. These harsh sentences erode confidence in Hong Kong’s judicial system and harm the city’s international reputation.”
“We continue to urge the PRC government and Hong Kong authorities,” stated Spokesperson Miller, “to uphold Hong Kong’s judicial independence, cease the use of vague national security laws to silence those peacefully expressing their political views, and restore the openness that was so crucial to Hong Kong’s vitality and success.”
