The Hong Kong authorities have indicted dozens of people on charges of violating the scandalous Chinese national security law and are going to try them, writes Bloomberg.
Currently, 47 of the 55 oppositionists arrested in January are involved in the case. They are accused of conspiracy to conduct subversive activities. The first court hearing in their case is expected on March 1.
The defendants are accused of helping to organize primaries, at which candidates from democratic parties and movements were nominated for elections to the local parliament. About 600 thousand residents of the city took part in the voting.
Among the defendants is activist Joshua Wong, already sentenced to a year in prison for participating in the 2019 anti-Chinese protests. Several former opposition MPs and human rights activists were also charged.
The Hong Kong National Security Law was passed in 2020 as a response by the Chinese authorities to protests against another law – on the extradition of suspects and accused of crimes from a special administrative region to the mainland. This sparked new protests and accusations against Beijing for violating Hong Kong's autonomy and human rights.
