Hong Kong sends democracy activists to prison for years

The European Union on Tuesday criticized the sentences, calling them blows against democratic freedom in Hong Kong. The 45 activists received harsh sentences for peaceful political activity that would be completely legal in any democracy, the EU said.

The activists’ sentences ranged from 4-10 years behind bars, the Hong Kong Free Press reported Tuesday. Most of the activists received sentences that were five to seven years long, according to the report. The activists were detained earlier. They were part of a group of 47 people accused of setting up an unofficial primary election in 2020—only two were acquitted. They were prosecuted using a new national security law.

What does China have to say to this criticism? China’s Foreign Ministry called the Western criticism unjust, unfair, and unacceptable. The decision of Hong Kong’s justice system upheld national security and had the backing of the larger Chinese government, Beijing said.

Dig deeper: Listen to my report on The World and Everything in It podcast about how Hong Kong’s National Security Law is useful for suppressing dissent.