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47 Hong Kong opposition figures to learn fate in landmark national security trial at end of May
- Judiciary has reserved May 30 and 31 for verdicts in the trial
- Sixteen defendants pleaded not guilty to subversion charge while 31 of the accused admitted to conspiring to subvert state power
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A Hong Kong court will decide the fate of 47 opposition figures involved in a landmark national security trial for their role in an unofficial legislative primary election at the end of this month, the Post has learned.
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The judiciary has reserved two days, May 30 and 31, to hand down verdicts on 16 defendants who pleaded not guilty to a charge of conspiracy to commit subversion in the trial at West Kowloon Court, according to a judicial notice on Tuesday.
After a 118-day trial spanning 10 months and heard by three judges, the 16 who pleaded not guilty will find out whether their involvement in the primary back in 2020 constituted a “grand strategy of subversion” in breach of the national security law as alleged by prosecutors.
The court is also expected to set dates for hearing mitigation pleas from anyone convicted, including the 31 accused who admitted to conspiring to subvert state power, an offence punishable by up to life imprisonment.
The opposition-led primary was held in July 2020 to pick the strongest candidates to compete in the official Legislative Council election, due to take place two months later.
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The 47 politicians and activists allegedly plotted to paralyse the government and topple then chief executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor by seizing a controlling majority in the Legislative Council to block government budgets.
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