HK charges 47 dissidents under new security law

HONG KONG: Police charged dozens of dissidents with subversion yesterday in the largest use yet of Beijing’s sweeping new national security law, as authorities move to cripple the finance hub’s democracy movement.

Last month, 55 of the city’s best-known democracy campaigners were arrested dawn raids.

Yesterday, police confirmed 47 of them had been charged with one count each of “conspiracy to commit subversion” — one of the new national security crimes — and would appear in court today.

Beijing is battling to stamp out dissent in the semi-autonomous city here after swathes of the population hit the streets in 2019 in huge and sometimes violent democracy protests.

The security law, imposed on the city last June, criminalises acts deemed to be subversion, secession, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces. Those charged are routinely denied bail until trial and face up to life in prison if convicted.

The charged activists are a cross-section of Hong Kong’s opposition, from veteran former pro-democracy lawmakers such as James To and Claudia Mo to academics, lawyers, social workers and youth activists.

Some struck a cautiously defiant tone as they prepared to report to police yesterday to hear the charges.

“Democracy is never a gift from heaven. It must be earned by many with strong will,” Jimmy Sham, a key organiser of 2019’s huge protests, said.

After last month’s arrests theUN’s rights watchdog said the sweep confirmed fears the security law was “being used to detain individuals for exercising legitimate rights to participate in political and public life.”

Beijing said the security law would target only an “extreme minority” and was needed to restore stability.