Hong Kong's jailing of 45 democracy activists sparks criticism from foreign governments, rights groups
CBSN
Forty-five prominent activists in Hong Kong were sentenced to jail for up to 10 years on Tuesday, sparking criticism from foreign governments and rights groups. Beijing defended the decisions.
The democracy advocates were among 47 people charged under a Beijing-imposed national security law in 2021 for their involvement in an unofficial primary election to pick opposition candidates. In the city's biggest national security case to date, they were accused of agreeing to veto government-proposed budgets after potentially securing a legislative majority to force a dissolution of the legislature and the ouster of the city's leader.
The case involved pro-democracy figures. Thirty-one of them pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit subversion. Fourteen others were convicted following a long trial. Two were acquitted.
