Hong Kong 47: unpacking the judgment and key arguments concerning 14 defendants found guilty
- Hong Kong national security judges convicted 14 of 16 opposition figures contesting subversion charges
- Here, the Post looks at what the court said about the 14 defendants and their role in the unofficial primary
Hong Kong national security judges on Thursday convicted 14 of the 16 opposition figures contesting subversion charges, ruling that the defendants knew, and were part of, a conspiracy with the intention to subvert.
The High Court cited as evidence the defendants’ social media posts, WhatsApp text messages, election platforms and speeches at election forums and press conferences related to their unofficial primary, with the goal of taking control of the Legislative Council and eventually overthrowing the government.
Whether the defendants signed their online declaration titled “Resolute Resistance, Inked Without Regret”, in which they pledged to veto government budgets indiscriminately to bring about a constitutional crisis, was also one of the considerations.
The judges described two activists who endorsed the declaration, Gwyneth Ho Kwai-lam and Owen Chow Ka-shing, as “radical”, while they also convicted some others who did not sign the statement.
The Post unpacks the judgment and highlights key arguments concerning the 14 defendants found guilty.
1. ‘Radicals’ who championed the plot
Gwyneth Ho Kwai-lam
Ho, who stood as a candidate in the unofficial primary, said she had participated to encourage people to vote in a big turnout that the world could not ignore.
