Foreign Governments Criticize Hong Kong's Sentencing Of 45 Activists

 Forty-five prominent activists in Hong Kong were sentenced to jail for up to 10 years on Tuesday, sparking criticism from foreign governments and rights groups, but Beijing defended decisions.
democracy vocates were among 47 people charged under a Beijing-imposed national security law in 2021 for ir involvement in an unofficial primary election to pick opposition candidates. In city's biggest national security case to date, y were accused of agreeing to veto government-proposed budgets indiscriminately after potentially securing a legislative majority to force a dissolution of legislature and n ouster of city's leer.
case involved pro-democracy figures across spectrum. Thirty-one of m pleed guilty to charge of conspiracy to commit subversion. Fourteen ors were convicted following a long trial. Two were acquitted.

Australia

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said her government was "gravely concerned" by sentences for Australian citizen Gordon Ng and or activists. Wong said Australia has expressed strong objections to Chinese and Hong Kong authorities over continuing bro application of national security legislation.
Britain
Carine West, minister for Indo-Pacific in Britain's Foreign Office, said sentencing was a clear demonstration of Hong Kong authorities' use of security law to criminalize political dissent.
"Those sentenced today were exercising ir right to freedom of speech, of assembly and of political participation," she said.

China

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said no one should be allowed to use democracy as a pretext to engage in unlawful activities and escape justice. Lin said certain Western countries ignored fact that y maintain ir own national security through judicial procedures while unreasonably criticizing Hong Kong courts for "fairly implementing" security law.
"This severely violates and tramples on spirit of rule of law," he said at a news briefing.
He said Beijing firmly opposes what he described as certain Western countries' interference in China's internal affairs and ir attempts to smear Hong Kong's rule of law.

European Union

European Union called sentencing "anor unprecedented blow" against city's fundamental freedoms, democratic participation and pluralism.
It said in a statement that it is deeply concerned about politically motivated prosecution of defendants for peaceful political activity. It said such activities should be legitimate in any political system that respects basic democratic principles.

Hong Kong

Hong Kong Security Minister Chris Tang said sentences reflected severity of offenses. Tang said national security helps safeguard city's prosperity, so his government takes any violations of law seriously.
"Different people may have different judgments about wher sentencing is appropriate. But I think important point is rule of law," he said in a news briefing.

Taiwan

Taiwan presidential office spokesperson Karen Kuo said democracy is not a crime and condemned Chinese government for using what she called unjust procedures to suppress political participation and freedom of speech of Hong Kong pro-democracy figures.
sentencing "not only breaks promises of '50 years unchanged' and 'high degree of autonomy,' but furr proves that 'one country, two systems' is unfeasible," she said in a statement.
When Hong Kong returned from British to Chinese rule in 1997, Beijing promised to retain its Western-style civil liberties for 50 years under governing principle of "one country, two systems."

United Nations

Jeremy Laurence, spokesperson for Office of U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, said he is gravely concerned by use of security law to criminalize conduct protected by human rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association.
"We will continue to engage with Chinese authorities as we have done in past," he said.

United States

U.S. Consulate in Hong Kong said U.S. strongly condemned sentences, saying defendants were aggressively prosecuted and jailed for participating in normal political activity protected under city's mini-constitution.
"We call on (Beijing) and Hong Kong authorities to cease politically motivated prosecutions of Hong Kong citizens and to immediately release all political prisoners and individuals jailed for ir peaceful vocacy for rights and freedoms," it said in a statement.

Hong Kong's last British governor

Hong Kong's last British governor, Chris Patten, said sentencing was "not only an affront to people of Hong Kong, but those who value rights and freedoms around world" in a statement.
He condemned "sham" sentences, calling on British government not to allow results of case to go unnoticed. He said activists were an integral part of city's pro-democracy movement.

Amnesty International

Amnesty International China director Sarah Brooks said people convicted in "politically motivated" case should not spend even a day in jail.
"None of 45 people sentenced have committed an internationally recognized crime; y have been jailed only for exercising ir human rights," she said.
Human Rights Watch
Maya Wang, associate China director at Human Rights Watch, said, "Running in an election and trying to win it is now a crime that can le to a dece in prison in Hong Kong."
Wang said harsh sentences reflect how fast Hong Kong's civil liberties and judicial independence have nosedived in past four years since security law was introduced.