Territory’s ‘ruthless purge’ of opponents continues with largest-ever prosecution under repressive National Security Law

Punishing people for taking part in self-organised election ‘primaries’ is contrary to international human rights standards

‘No-one convicted in this politically motivated case should be spending a day in jail’ - Sarah Brooks

Amnesty International has strongly criticised the mass sentencing of 45 opposition figures by the Hong Kong authorities in the largest-ever prosecution under the territory’s repressive National Security Law.

Earlier today, lengthy jail terms were handed down to 45 people who’d been jointly charged with “conspiracy to commit subversion”. Of 47 originally charged, 31 pleaded guilty to the charge while 16 plead not guilty, and two were acquitted.

The charges related to their organisation and participation in self-organised “primaries” for the 2020 Legislative Council elections that were ultimately postponed by the authorities on Covid-19 grounds before the Chinese government introduced a new electoral system that strictly vetted who could stand for office.

The city’s chief executive at the time, Carrie Lam, said the “primaries” were illegal and warned that they could be in breach of the National Security Law that had been enacted only weeks earlier.

Treating self-organised “primaries” conducted by political parties to select candidates for elections as a genuine threat to Hong Kong’s existence, territorial integrity or political independence, does not meet the high threshold of application for “national security” that international human rights standards require.

Hong Kong’s human rights situation has deteriorated dramatically since 2020, with nearly 300 people arrested for violating the National Security Law or a colonial-era “sedition” law. Article 23 legislation introduced earlier this year has further deepened repression and silenced opposition voices in the city.

Sarah Brooks, Amnesty International’s China Director, said:

“No-one convicted in this politically motivated case should be spending a day in jail, let alone be facing the kind of lengthy sentences meted out today.

“Months ago, we called these convictions a ‘ruthless purge’ of the opposition and today that has been borne out.

“These sentences, despite going through the motions of mitigation and respect for due process, are clearly intended to punish opponents of the Hong Kong government while intimidating others who might dare to follow them.

“These harsh sentences underline the dire state of Hong Kong’s justice system.

“None of the 45 people sentenced have committed an internationally recognised crime; they have been jailed only for exercising their human rights. We call once again for their immediate and unconditional release.”