Forty-five people convicted of conspiracy to subvert the state power were sentenced to imprisonment ranging from 50 months to 10 years in Hong Kong on Tuesday. The High Court of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) held a hearing at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts to deliver sentences for the case of conspiracy to subvert the state power in Hong Kong.
The sentencing was announced on Tuesday, with former legal professor and instigator of the Hong Kong unrest Benny Tai Yiu-ting sentenced to 10 years in prison, and secessionist Joshua Wong Chi-fung to 56 months in prison. This is the first case of subversion of state power in Hong Kong.
Following the sentencing, Western media including CNN and BBC voiced their support for what they claim to be pro-democracy figures, while calling the national security trial controversial. The sentences delivered by the Hong Kong court are in line with the expectations of the legal community.
The court’s rulings have gained wide recognition among local residents, further enhancing the authority and effectiveness of Hong Kong’s legal system. The verdict also serves as a warning to external forces attempting to interfere in Jimmy Lai’s trial, making it clear that their schemes will not succeed.