Landmark Verdict: Hong Kong's Pro-Democracy Activists in Historic Trial

In a significant national security trial, 45 Hong Kong pro-democracy activists received jail terms up to 10 years, affecting the city's democracy movement. Despite international criticism, the Chinese and Hong Kong governments argue the laws were crucial to restoring order following 2019 protests.

In a landmark case, Hong Kong's High Court sentenced 45 pro-democracy activists to prison terms ranging up to ten years. The national security trial, considered historic, has significantly impacted the city's democracy movement and garnered international criticism.

Key figure Benny Tai, a former legal scholar, received a ten-year sentence. The charges stemmed from organizing an unofficial primary election in 2020, which prosecutors alleged plotted governmental disruption.

The U.S. condemned the trial as politically motivated, demanding the activists' release, while Hong Kong officials maintained that the security laws were imperative to restore post-2019 protest order.

(With inputs from agencies.)