Hong Kong democracy leaders given jail terms amid crackdown

HONG KONG (AP) - A Hong Kong court on Friday sentenced five leading pro-democracy advocates, including media tycoon Jimmy Lai, to up to 18 months in prison for organizing a march during 2019 anti-government protests that triggered an overwhelming crackdown from Beijing.

A total of nine advocates were given jail terms, but four of them, including 82-year-old lawyer and former lawmaker Martin Lee, had their sentences suspended after their age and accomplishments were taken into consideration.

They were found guilty earlier this month of organizing and participating in a massive protest in August 2019, where an estimated 1.7 million people marched in opposition to a bill that would have allowed suspects to be extradited to mainland China. The march was not authorized by the police.

Their convictions and sentencing are another blow to the city's flagging democracy movement, which is facing an unprecedented crackdown by Beijing and Hong Kong authorities.

The court suspended the 11-month prison sentence of Lee, who is known for his advocacy for human rights and democracy, for two years because of his age.

Lai, the founder of Hong Kong's Apple Daily tabloid, was sentenced to 12 months in prison. He was already held on other charges, including collusion with foreign forces to intervene in the city's affairs - a new crime under a sweeping national security law that Beijing imposed on the city in 2020.

Lee Cheuk-yan, a pro-democracy activist and former lawmaker who helped organize annual candlelight vigils in Hong Kong on the anniversary of the bloody crackdown on pro-democracy protests in Beijing's Tiananmen Square in 1989, was sentenced to 12 months in prison.

Lawyers Albert Ho and Margaret Ng both had their 12-month jail sentences suspended for two years. Former lawmaker Leung Kwok-hung was sentenced to 18 months, while another former legislator, Cyd Ho, was given a jail sentence of eight months.

Two other former lawmakers, Au Nok-hin and Leung Yiu-chung, who previously pleaded guilty, were also given jail sentences. Au got 10 months while Leung's eight-month jail term was suspended for one year.

'œI'm ready to face the penalty and sentencing and I'm proud that I can walk with the people of Hong Kong for this democracy,'ť Lee Cheuk-yan said ahead of the court session, as supporters held up signs condemning political persecution. 'œWe will walk together even in darkness, we will walk with hope in our hearts.'ť

Hong Kong had enjoyed a vibrant political culture and freedoms not seen elsewhere in China during the decades it was a British colony.

Beijing had pledged to allow the city to retain civil liberties for 50 years after it was handed to Chinese rule in 1997, but recently has ushered in a series of measures, including the national security legislation and electoral reforms that many fear are a step closer to making Hong Kong no different from mainland cities.

Under the new rules, Hong Kong residents can be held liable for any speech or action deemed secessionist, subversive, terrorist or perceived as colluding with hostile foreign political groups or individuals. Electoral changes mean just 20 out of 90 Legislative Council members will be directly elected and Beijing will retain even tighter control over the body that picks Hong Kong's future chief executives.

Hong Kong's last British governor, Chris Patten, said that the Chinese Communist Party's 'œcomprehensive assault'ť on freedoms of Hong Kong and its rule of law remains relentless.

'œThis week, we have witnessed some of the most distinguished of the city's peaceful and moderate champions of liberty and democracy placed in Beijing's vengeful sights,'ť he said in a statement. 'œThe CCP simply does not understand that you cannot bludgeon and incarcerate people into loving a totalitarian and corrupt regime."