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A Hong Kong tribunal Monday (February 23, 2026) dismissed each appeals arising successful the city’s biggest lawsuit brought nether a Beijing-imposed nationalist information law.
The pro-democracy advocates were among 47 activists charged successful 2021 with conspiracy to perpetrate subversion for their engagement successful an unofficial superior election. The wide prosecution involving immoderate of the best-known activists crushed overmuch of the city’s once-thriving pro-democracy question that reached a tallness with monolithic anti-government protests successful 2019.
Forty-five of the defendants were sentenced to betwixt 4 years and 10 years successful 2024, with their punishments drafting disapproval from overseas governments and rights groups.
Eleven activists who appealed their convictions mislaid their bids. They included erstwhile lawmakers Leung Kwok-hung, Lam Cheuk-ting, Raymond Chan and Helena Wong.
All appeals implicit sentences were besides dismissed by the Court of Appeal.
Lawrence Lau, a pro-democracy erstwhile territory councilor, was 1 of 2 activists acquitted successful the case. Judges upheld his acquittal pursuing an entreaty from the prosecution.
Riding connected the 2019 protests, the pro-democracy campy had been looking to marque gains successful the 2020 legislative election. The unofficial superior was meant to shortlist pro-democracy candidates for the authoritative election.
The campy hoped to unafraid a bulk successful the legislature to property for protesters’ demands, which included greater constabulary accountability and antiauthoritarian elections for the city’s leaders.
During the trial, prosecutors said the activists aimed to paralyze Hong Kong’s authorities and unit the city’s person to resign. The judges said successful their verdict successful 2024 that the activists’ plans to effect alteration done the unofficial superior would person undermined the government’s authorization and created a law crisis.
Critics said the activists' convictions illustrated however authorities crushed dissent pursuing the 2019 protests. The Beijing and Hong Kong governments importune the nationalist information instrumentality was indispensable for the city's stability.
The lawsuit progressive ideology advocates crossed the spectrum, including ineligible student Benny Tai, who got a 10-year situation term, and erstwhile pupil person Joshua Wong, whose condemnation was 4 years and 8 months.
Nearly 20 activists successful the lawsuit person been released from situation implicit the past year. Among them were erstwhile territory councilors Jimmy Sham and Lester Shum. Sham and Lee Yue-shun, different acquitted activist, chatted with Lau earlier Monday's hearing.
As those who were inactive successful situation entered the courtroom, immoderate waved and smiled astatine their families and supporters, who waved back.
Some residents stayed extracurricular the tribunal gathering successful enactment since Saturday to unafraid a spot successful the courtroom. Retiree Margaret Chan arrived connected Monday (February 23, 2026) morning, hoping to amusement her enactment to those she considered to beryllium innocent.
Seeing immoderate activists released from situation relieved her. “They person survived it," she said.
