HONG KONG (AP) — Fourteen pro-democracy activists were convicted in Hong Kong's biggest national security case on Thursday by a court that said their plan to effect change through an unofficial primary election would have undermined the government's authority and created a constitutional crisis.
Associated PressHONG KONG — Fourteen pro-democracy activists were convicted in Hong Kong's biggest national security case on Thursday by a court that said their plan to effect change through an unofficial primary election would have undermined the government's authority and created a constitutional crisis.
The activists were among 47 democracy advocates who were prosecuted in 2021 for their involvement in the primary. Prosecutors had accused them of attempting to paralyze Hong Kong's government and topple the city's leader by securing the legislative majority necessary to indiscriminately veto budgets.
"The power and authority of both the Government and the Chief Executive would be greatly undermined," the court said in the verdict."In our view ... that would create a constitutional crisis for Hong Kong." Lee, like Lau, was acquitted after the court found no evidence he mentioned vetoing in an election forum, nor had he personally expressed his stance on using veto power to force the government to accede to the 2019 protest demands.
But the Beijing and Hong Kong governments insisted the law has helped bring back stability to the city and that judicial independence was being protected. After the verdicts, Beijing voiced its support for the work of the city's judicial and law enforcement officials, despite concerns from the West.
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