How did the judges decide on the prison sentences imposed in the Hong Kong 47 case?

given sentences The backlash against former opposition activists in the landmark national security case opened in Hong Kong on Tuesday was proportionate; It was neither too lenient nor too harsh, given the court’s ruling that their conspiracy undermined national security and was tantamount to asking for it. overthrow the governmentSome legal experts said this.

Experts contacted by the Post also said the sentence had its own specific circumstances and should not set a precedent for future sentences in cases related to subversion or national security.

At the end of the city’s largest and longest-running national security case to date, 45 defendants were sentenced to prison terms ranging from four years, two months to 10 years for conspiracy to commit subversion. In May, two more defendants were acquitted by the court.

31 of the 45 pleaded guilty, and 14 others were found guilty in May of participating in a 2020 conspiracy to overthrow the government by securing a majority in the Legislative Council and indiscriminately down-voting budgets and other bills to trigger a constitutional crisis.

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Hong Kong 47: ‘Genius’ Benny Tai sentenced to 10 years in prison for plot to overthrow government

The court sentenced former Hong Kong University (HKU) law academic Benny Tai Yiu-ting to prison, saying he “advocated the revolution” and masterminded the plan. 10 years imprisonment As the main criminal under Article 22 of the 2020 national security law.

Grenville Cross, barrister and former director of public prosecutions, said: “There are 45 sentences and although some seem lenient, others seem just about right.

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