3 Hong Kong Activists Plead Guilty to Joining Democracy Rally

HONG KONG - Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai was one of three pro-democracy activists who pleaded guilty Wednesday to participating in an unauthorized rally in 2019.

The other two activists who pleaded guilty along with Lai were Lee Cheuk-yan and Yeng Sum. The trio took part in a massive anti-government protest on Aug. 31 of that year, at the height of near-daily and often violent demonstrations demanding greater democracy for the city. Lee Cheuk-yan told reporters as he and Yeng left the courthouse that although they pleaded guilty, they had done nothing wrong, as they were affirming the people’s right to peacefully protest. The trio faces five years in prison on the charge.