US, UK and Australia condemn sentencing of 45 democracy activists and former lawmakers to up to 10 years in prison for “subversion”

The United Nations, the United States, and the United Kingdom denounced the sentence of forty-five democracy campaigners and former parliamentarians to ten years in jail for “subversion.” This occurred as calls for tougher sanctions against Hong Kong grew, and visa programs were expanded to help those fleeing the city’s continuous political persecution.

Rights advocates, relatives, and the previous colonial governor of Hong Kong all condemned the punishments, which were handed out to pro-democracy campaigners for holding a primary in July 2020, according to a Radio Free Asia report. They said that since the region’s 1997 handover from Britain to China, there has been a “unrelenting attack” on democracy and other freedoms, including the sentence.

The US Department of State said in a statement on Tuesday that it is acting to place further visa restrictions on a number of Hong Kong officials who have been prosecuted for their roles in executing the 2020 National Security Law. The declaration demanded that the 45 people and other political prisoners be released immediately and without conditions. It emphasized how these harsh penalties harm Hong Kong’s reputation internationally and erode confidence in the city’s legal system.

The sentence was also denounced by British Foreign Office Minister Catherine West, who described it as an obvious instance of Hong Kong authorities criminalizing political opposition under the National Security Law. She said the people who were condemned only exercised their rights to political engagement, freedom of expression, and freedom of assembly.

In a statement, Senator Penny Wong, Australia’s Foreign Affairs Minister and Senate leader of the government, voiced her profound worry at the activists’ sentences, which included Australian citizen Gordon Ng. In accordance with the Human Rights Committee’s and Special Procedures’ recommendations, she urged China to stop repressing freedoms including assembly, speech, the media, and civil society. Wong also called for Hong Kong’s National Security Law to be repealed.

High Commissioner Volker Turk had demanded a “urgent review” of the convictions, the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) reported, and urged Hong Kong authorities to make sure they respect international human rights law, which includes protecting the rights to free speech, peaceful assembly, and association. The OHCHR emphasized the need for national security regulations to be clear in their definition and scope, permitting human rights limitations only where they are absolutely required for a justifiable purpose and proportionately.

Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Li Jian responded to the criticism during a routine news conference on Tuesday, saying that “no one should be allowed to use ‘democracy’ as an excuse to engage in illegal activities and evade justice.” He reaffirmed that, in compliance with the law, the Central Government fully supports Hong Kong in defending national security and prosecuting any activities that jeopardize it. Li also voiced strong opposition to certain Western nations trying to undermine Hong Kong’s legal system and meddling in domestic affairs in China.

The last British colonial governor of Hong Kong, Lord Patten of Barnes, also denounced Tuesday’s conviction, calling it “an affront to the people of Hong Kong.” He blasted the “sham sentences,” which came after a non-jury trial, in a statement, underscoring the decline of press, assembly, and speech rights in Hong Kong. He pleaded with the UK government to make sure that the verdict in this case is not ignored or uncontested.

Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs Senator Leo Housakos of Canada described the penalties as a “severe injustice.” He said that the National Security Law and the prosecution of these activists go against the fundamental values of freedom, human rights, and the rule of law in a statement released by the London-based rights organization Hong Kong Watch.

“None of those imprisoned, many of whom have been incarcerated for more than three years, should have spent even a single day in jail,” said Chan Kin-man, a former politics professor who co-founded the 2014 Occupy Central pro-democracy campaign with prominent defendant Benny Tai. Chan added, “Benny worked tirelessly as a constitutional scholar to broaden the pro-democracy movement through peaceful means.” Tai was sentenced to 10 years in jail by the Hong Kong High Court on Tuesday.