Journalism of Courage
In a landmark national security case, 45 prominent pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong were sentenced to prison terms ranging from four years and two months to 10 years. (AP)
This case marks the largest crackdown under Beijing's sweeping 2020 law, which has been used to silence dissenting voices in the region. A pro-democracy activist known as "Grandma Wong" protests outside the West Kowloon courts in a cordoned off area set up by police as closing arguments open in Hong Kong's largest national security trial of 47 pro-democracy figures in Hong Kong. (AP)
The primaries aimed to select candidates for the Legislative Council election, with the goal of achieving a majority and blocking government bills. Former lawmaker Leung Kwok-hung, known as "Long Hair," second left, shows a victory sign as some of the 47 pro-democracy activists are escorted by Correctional Services officers to a prison van in Hong Kong. (AP)
However, authorities viewed this as a threat to state power, leading to the mass arrests and subsequent convictions. The case has sparked international concern over the erosion of democratic freedoms in Hong Kong.Police officers stand guard outside the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts in Hong Kong. (AP)
People wait outside the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts in Hong Kong Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024, ahead of the sentencing in national security case. (AP)
A Correctional Services Department vehicle arrives at the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts in Hong Kong Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024, ahead of the sentencing in national security case. (AP)
The case highlights how Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement has been fundamentally reshaped under the national security law, with long-term implications for the city’s political landscape. Armed police officers stand guard outside the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts in Hong Kong. (AP)
