Hong Kong frees pro-democracy leaders

Hong Kong’s highest court on Tuesday overturned the prison sentences of three young pro-democracy activists in a surprise ruling, but the Court of Final Appeal warned of tougher punishments for any future dissent. A panel of five judges sided with Joshua Wong, Nathan Law, and Alex Chow in their appeal of their monthslong prison sentence for unlawful assembly. Their demonstration in September 2014 kicked off 2½ months of protests called the Umbrella Movement. A magistrate first gave the three lenient sentences, but a justice secretary requested a review that increased their punishments to range from six to eight months. The panel of judges said “future offenders involved in large-scale unlawful assemblies involving violence” will face a tougher sentence. “It’s not time for celebration. … It’s a long-term battle for us in the future,” Wong said, following the ruling. “We just urge people to continue to fight for democracy.”