A Hong Kong appellate court is set to deliver its verdict on February 23 regarding the appeals of 12 activists convicted in the city's largest national security trial, which involved 47 opposition figures accused over an illegal 'primary' election. The ruling will also address a government appeal against the acquittal of one defendant, marking a pivotal moment in the ongoing legal fallout from the 2020 Legislative Council election saga.
Eleven of the 12 convicted activists, found guilty of conspiring to subvert state power through an unofficial election scheme, have appealed both their convictions and sentences. They have been serving prison terms ranging from six and a half years to seven years and nine months since their convictions two years ago.
Defendant Prince Wong Ji-yuet, who pleaded guilty and was sentenced to four years and five months, has separately appealed her punishment, seeking leniency from the appellate court.
The trial court determined that the opposition activists had conspired to secure a controlling majority in the Legislative Council and to indiscriminately reject the government's budget, actions deemed aimed at undermining, destroying, or overthrowing the administration during the 2020 election period.
Two defendants were acquitted in the original trial: social worker Lee Yue-shun and barrister Lawrence Lau Wai-chung. The government has appealed Lau's acquittal, contending that the trial judges overlooked evidence demonstrating his knowledge of the unlawful scheme and his agreement to abide by the results of the unofficial poll.
This high-profile case stems from a 2020 unofficial primary election organized by pro-democracy activists, which authorities later prosecuted under national security laws as an effort to paralyze the government. The appellate court's decision next week could reshape the outcomes for all involved parties.
