HONG KONG (AP) — Authorities in Hong Kong say that 29 of the 47 pro-democracy activists charged with “conspiracy to commit subversion” under a strict National Security Law have pleaded guilty in court. The Beijing government is trying to silence opposition voices in the regional financial hub.
The hearings happened during a broad campaign against people who spoke out against demands for total loyalty to the Communist Party, which runs China.
{: gap {: kind:u serinput}} made the pleas earlier, but they were not made public until Thursday when a ban on reporting was lifted. The hearings will start in September, and the people accused could get life sentences.
The 47 democracy activists, between the ages of 23 and 64, were arrested last year and charged with plotting to overthrow the government under Beijing’s National Security Law. This was because they took part in an unofficial primary election in 2020 that the government said was a plan to shut down Hong Kong’s government.
Candidates who were willing to run against the local government backed by Beijing got a lot of support in the primary.
Hong Kong media said that well-known political activists like Joshua Wong and Benny Tai were among those who said they were guilty. They will stay in jail until they are sentenced.
