Forty-five prominent activists in Hong Kong have been sentenced to jail for up to 10 years, following their involvement in an unofficial primary election to select opposition candidates. These individuals were among 47 people charged under a national security law imposed by Beijing in 2021. The activists were accused of conspiring to veto government-proposed budgets and potentially forcing the dissolution of the legislature and the removal of the city's leader.
Thirty-one of the accused pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit subversion, while the remaining 14 were convicted after a lengthy trial. Two individuals were acquitted in what has been described as Hong Kong's most significant national security case to date.
