Organisers say 1.7 million people — almost one-quarter of
Hong Kong’s population — turned out for a huge rally that formed the backbone of
demonstrations that wracked the city throughout 2019.
Lai was among nine of Hong
Kong’s most prominent democracy campaigners found guilty of organising and
participating in the rally.
Many of them have spent decades advocating
non-violence in their ultimately fruitless campaign for universal suffrage.
Lai,
73, was on Friday sentenced to 12 months in prison while four of the other
campaigners were jailed for between eight and 18 months.
Among the other
defendants was Martin Lee, 82, a respected barrister known as the “father of
democracy” in Hong Kong, who was once chosen by Beijing to help write the city’s
mini-constitution.
They also included Margaret Ng, a 73-year-old barrister and former
opposition lawmaker.
Lee and Ng were given prison terms, but their sentences
were suspended.
The rallies in 2019 often descended into clashes between riot
police and a knot of hardcore participants, and posed the most concerted
challenge to China’s rule since the former British colony’s 1997 handover.
But
China and the city government successfully silenced the democracy movement with
a sweeping crackdown featuring a national security law that criminalises
dissent.
They have also pressed a radical overhaul of the city’s electoral
system to ensure only “patriots” are members of the legislature.
Amnesty
International Asia-Pacific regional director Yamini Mishra said Friday’s
sentencings highlighted the government’s determination to eliminate all
opposition.
“Having arrested the majority of Hong Kong’s most prominent
dissidents using the repressive national security law, the authorities are now
mopping up remaining peaceful critics under the pretext of bogus charges related
to the 2019 protests,” Mishra said.
Before delivering the sentences, judge
Amanda Woodcock said the rally was “premeditated” to “circumvent” a police ban.
She also said the fact the rally was peaceful was no defence.
“The Basic Law
guarantees freedom of assembly and procession however these rights are not
absolute and are subject to restrictions,” Woodcock said.
– Defiance –
Supporters of the defendants rose and waved to the nine in court as they were
taken away after the sentencing.
“Support you until the last,” the supporters
chanted. In comments to the court before the sentencing, Ng maintained a defiant
tone.
“There is no right so precious to the people of Hong Kong as the freedom
of expression and the freedom of peaceful assembly,” said Ng, who discharged her
legal team and gave her statement in person.
She added that she was prepared to
stand with and stand up for the people who “in the last resort, had to give
collective expression of their anguish and urge the government to respond”.
“I
stand the law’s good servant but the people’s first,” said Ng, whose submission
ended with a round of loud applause in the courtroom.
“I’m ready for the
sentencing and I’m proud that I can walk with the people of HK in this road for
democracy,” former lawmaker Lee Cheuk-yan said outside court ahead of the
hearing. “We’ll walk together through the storm even in darkness.”
Lee was
sentenced to 12 months in jail. Lee and Jimmy Lai had pleaded guilty to taking
part in another illegal assembly on August 31, 2019.
The maximum penalty is five
years in prison and the sentencings are also expected to be delivered on Friday
afternoon.
AFP
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