A Hong Kong judge has detained 47 pro-democracy activists charged with the city’s draconian national security law after a marathon four-day trial was seen as chaotic and ridiculous.
Thirty-two defendants were denied bail by Chief Magistrate Victor So while 15 were granted bail but are still being held in custody after government prosecutors said they would appeal the decision.
The group was charged on Sunday with conspiracy to commit undermining in connection with an unofficial primary poll held last year, in the most comprehensive action against the city’s democracy camp since the National Security Act was enacted last year.
Therefore, all 47 cases in one bail hearing, which began on Monday, were processed with a hearing that lasted until 3 a.m. and continued through the week. He also denied applications to lift the reporting restriction, meaning that only the ruling and relevant names can be published, and not arguments for or against the granting of bail.
With 47 in custody, a majority of Hong Kong’s leading pro-democracy figures will now be in jail or in exile abroad amid an ongoing battle against discord in the semi-autonomous Chinese city.
There were emotional scenes at West Kowloon Court while some sobbed in the rooms and others hung out. One person stood outside the court with a yellow umbrella, a symbol of the democracy movement, and a banner that read: “Free all political prisoners.”
“We are not at all surprised that today’s bail application failed,” said Po-ying Chan, the wife of one of the leading defendants who was denied bail, “Long Hair,” Leung Kwok-hung. ‘It proved under the NSL [national security law], the legal system was distorted and reversed. ”
The 15 defendants who granted bail are expected to appear in the Supreme Court within 48 hours for another trial. For the others, the case was adjourned until May 31.
Prosecutors have asked for at least a three-month adjournment to allow them time to investigate further, and have opposed bail for any accused. The defense objected, interrogation why charges were laid and defendants sent to jail when the case was so far from readiness.
The wording of the national security legislation makes it extremely difficult for bail to anyone charged accordingly. Media mogul Jimmy Lai, who is facing alleged foreign conspiracy in a separate case, has so far been unsuccessful in and out of court.
Fifty-five people were arrested in January over the primary poll, which drew international condemnation and skepticism, even by some pro-Beijing politicians, who noted that primary polls are a common feature of both parties in Hong Kong. was political.
Authorities claimed the 47 planned to select candidates who could win a majority of the 70 seats in the legislature, and then scientifically distinguish to “paralyze” parliament and force the resignation of the chief executive. Authorities have not said whether they intend to prosecute the eight remaining people, including U.S. Attorney John Clancey.
The processing of the case is widely criticized as chaotic, farcical and legally unfair. During the four-day trial, five accused were taken to hospital by ambulance and several complained about the lack of access to their lawyers.
According to reports, some accused were back in their cells less than three hours on Tuesday morning after 3 hours of the trial before they were back in court, and lawyers did not have time to shower or change.
By Wednesday evening, several defendants had abandoned their lawyers and wanted to file their case on their own behalf, which was heard on Thursday. The content of their statements is covered by reporting restrictions.
“The court system should never have arranged such a chaotic judicial review that made Hong Kong’s previously revered legal system look like the willing instrument of police and prosecution,” said Prof Jerome Cohen, an expert on China at New York University’s School of Law, wrote in a blog post on Thursday.
More than 1,000 supporters gathered outside the court on the first day to release the prisoners and now sing illegal protest slogans. Police have issued a number of fines for violations of the laws for collecting pandemics. Among those present were foreign diplomats and legal groups who are closely monitoring the case amid growing concern that Hong Kong’s legal system is collapsing.
“We have never seen anything like it. It’s usually very fast … It’s very strange, ‘said David Costello, Ireland’s Consul General for Hong Kong, who was in court, about the duration of the hearings. “This is a test of what is going to happen in Hong Kong.”
Foreign governments and rights groups have condemned the actions to prosecute the group, but the authorities in Hong Kong and Beijing have remained unforgiving.
The Heritage Foundation, the right-wing American think tank, said on Thursday that Hong Kong will no longer be included in its index of economic freedom, because ‘development has unequivocally shown in recent years that [Hong Kong’s economic] policy is ultimately controlled by Beijing ”. Hong Kong was at the top of the list for 25 years 25 years.
Reuters contributed to this report