HONG KONG: Three leading Hong Kong democracy campaigners face trial on Monday (Nov 19) over their involvement in massive rallies calling for political reform, as…
HONG KONG: Three leading Hong Kong democracy campaigners face trial on Monday (Nov 19) over their involvement in massive rallies calling for political reform, as room for opposition in the semi-autonomous city shrinks under an assertive China.
Rights groups have urged authorities to drop what Amnesty International called the “chilling prosecution” of nine activists – the pioneering trio, lawmakers, student leaders and pro-democracy party campaigners.
All nine face “public nuisance” charges for their participation in 2014’s Umbrella Movement protests. The charges are based on colonial-era law and carry maximum jail terms of up to seven years.
Sociology professor Chan Kin-man, 59, law professor Benny Tai, 54, and baptist minister Chu Yiu-ming, 74, founded the “Occupy Central” movement in 2013.
It called for the occupation of Hong Kong’s business district if the public was not given a fair vote for the city’s leader, who is appointed by a pro-Beijing committee.
The campaign was overtaken by a student movement that exploded in September 2014 when police fired tear gas on gathering crowds.
The Occupy trio urged people to join what became known as the Umbrella Movement as protesters used umbrellas to shield themselves from tear gas and pepper spray.
