Some of the most well-known pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong, ranging in age from a 27-year-old student activist to a 68-year-old former opposition member, are awaiting a decision on subversion charges this week.
They are a part of the group of 47 demonstrators and activists, also referred to as the Hong Kong 47, who were accused three years ago in what was thought to be the largest crackdown under China’s National Security Law (NSL).
Officials accused the 47—eight women and thirty-nine men—of trying to “overthrow” the government by setting up unauthorized primaries to choose opposition candidates for local elections.
In defiance of Hong Kong government and despite warnings that they would violate the NSL, which had gone into force days earlier, the primaries were held in July 2020.
Critics claim the rule has robbed the city of its cherished autonomy and freedoms, while Beijing defends the law, which was passed in response to widespread pro-democracy protests, as vital to maintain calm.
The Hong Kong 47: Who Are They?
Some are well-known, including opposition politicians Claudia Mo, Helena Wong, and Kwok Ka-ki, as well as Joshua Wong and Benny Tai, who were prominent figures in the 2014 pro-democracy demonstrations that shook Hong Kong.
However, a number of them, like Tiffany Yuen, Ventus Lau, and Owen Chow, constituted a new wave of outspoken campaigners. In what turned out to be a turning point in the 2019 protests, hundreds of people, including Mr. Lau and Mr. Chow, rushed the city’s Legislative Council (LegCo) and spray-painted Hong Kong’s logo.
