Hong Kong 47: city rejects US criticism of national security case after Washington imposes new sanctions

US State Department announces restrictions on officials following ruling in Hong Kong 47 case, but city government says it is not ‘intimidated by such despicable behaviour’

City also decries US and other Western states for making ‘unwarranted comments on criminal trials’, calling it ‘a complete disregard for the spirit of the rule of law’

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The 14 pro-democracy activists convicted of subversion on Thursday leaving the West Kowloon Law Courts in a correctional services van for Lai Chi Kok Detention Centre. Photo: Dickson Lee

Published: 2:39am, 1 Jun 2024Updated: 3:28am, 1 Jun 2024

The Hong Kong and US governments clashed on Friday after Washington said it would sanction officials in the semi-autonomous city and mainland China following the outcome in the landmark “Hong Kong 47” national security case the day before.

The US State Department said it would impose new visa restrictions on officials responsible for instituting the national security law and urged Hong Kong authorities to release opposition figures who were convicted for subversion charges for taking part in a primary election in 2020.

The department’s notice went beyond what US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell had to say about the issue in a meeting he held with Chinese foreign vice-minister Ma Zhaoxu on Thursday.

The Hong Kong government responded that “the so-called ‘sanctions’ mentioned by some foreign politicians smack of despicable political manipulation to intimidate judges, judicial officers and prosecutors from the Department of Justice”, adding that it was not “intimidated by such despicable behaviour”.

On Thursday, a Hong Kong court handed down guilty verdicts to 14 of 16 opposition politicians and activists, ruling that the defendants knew of, and were part of, a conspiracy with the intention to subvert state power.

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Hong Kong court finds 14 guilty of subversion, 2 acquitted in national security law case

The High Court pointed to evidence showing that their unofficial primary election in 2020 was held with the goal of maximising the opposition’s chances of gaining control of the Legislative Council. The plot was then to veto fiscal bills and paralyse and overthrow the government.