Amnesty International Condemns Harsh Sentences Given to 45 Hong Kong Opposition Leaders Under Security Law

London, November 21: Amnesty International has strongly criticized the long prison sentences given to 45 Hong Kong opposition leaders convicted under the controversial National Security Law. The sentences, some lasting up to 10 years, drew harsh condemnations from human rights organisations.

Sarah Brooks, Amnesty International’s China Director, said: “No one convicted in this politically motivated case should be sentenced to even a single day in prison, let alone face such long sentences.” He described the convictions as a “brutal purge” of dissenting voices, arguing that the sentences were designed to punish critics of the Hong Kong government and intimidate others who might consider opposing it.

Brooks also emphasized: “These harsh sentences underscore the serious deterioration in Hong Kong’s justice system. The individuals sentenced have not committed any internationally recognized crimes. They are being imprisoned simply for exercising their human rights. We continue to call for their immediate and unconditional release.”

This case represents the largest prosecution under Hong Kong’s National Security Law, which was implemented in June 2020. 47 defendants were charged with “conspiracy to subvert state power”; 31 pleaded guilty and 16 maintained their innocence. Two people were acquitted. The charges stemmed from their role in organizing and participating in self-organized “primaries” for the 2020 Legislative Council elections, which were postponed due to the pandemic. A new election system was then implemented in which candidates were scrutinized more strictly. Hong Kong’s then-Chief Executive Carrie Lam had warned that these “primaries” could violate the National Security Law, which came into effect only a few weeks earlier.

Amnesty International has expressed concern over the use of the National Security Law, stating that treating these self-organized primaries as a threat to the stability of Hong Kong does not comply with international human rights law standards. Since the law came into force, nearly 300 people have been arrested for violating the law or colonial-era sedition laws. The recently introduced Article 23 legislation has further intensified repression in the region and silenced voices of dissent.

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