Explainer | US threatens sanctions: what Hong Kong can expect after the jailing of 45 activists
The Post reviews how Hong Kong was caught in China-US geopolitical crosshairs and the impact of restrictive measures on the city
The United States has vowed to impose new visa restrictions on Hong Kong officials after 45 opposition activists were jailed for subversion, with former legal scholar Benny Tai Yiu-ting receiving the toughest penalty for orchestrating an unauthorised legislative “primary” election.
Washington had previously imposed economic sanctions and other restrictions against the city after Beijing enacted the sweeping national security law in 2020 as its response to the months-long social unrest the year before.
The Post reviews how Hong Kong was caught in the crosshairs of the geopolitical tensions between the US and mainland China as well as the restrictive measures against the city.
1. What’s behind US visa restrictions on Hong Kong officials?
On Tuesday, a Hong Kong court jailed 45 out of 47 opposition activists for four to 10 years in a landmark national security case over the unofficial election in July 2020.
The subversion case was the city’s largest and longest-running trial under the Beijing-decreed national security law.
Among them, Tai, a former legal academic at the University of Hong Kong, was thrown behind bars for 10 years for being the initiator and also organiser of the unauthorised primary election.
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US vows more sanctions on Hong Kong officials after jailing of 45 activists
The judges had ruled the move was part of a wider plot to bring down the government through the abuse of lawmakers’ powers once they were elected to the legislature.
