The 14 people who have now been convicted of violating the security law are all part of a larger group of 47 people who were accused, among other things, of having arranged an unofficial primary election in an attempt to circumvent the political system now controlled by Beijing. The convicted risk life imprisonment, and more verdicts against the other defendants are expected in the coming days.
How the trial unfolded gives an indication of how far-reaching Beijing’s security law is. The prosecutor spent a whole day trying to prove that the people acted “coordinated” – which suggests that it is precisely coordination that the law targets.
It does not bode well for the political work that previously led Hong Kong forward on the road to democracy.
See the analysis in the clip above.