Chinese court jails 10 Hong Kong pro-democracy activists for up to three years

One of the 12 Hong Kong activists detained at sea by Chinese authorities, second from right with his head covered, is escorted by Hong Kong police officers on Wednesday after being transferred by Chinese authorities at Hong Kong's Shenzhen Bay Port, a China-Hong Kong border

Credit: Kin Cheung/AP

A Chinese court on Wednesday convicted 10 Hongkongers who had tried to flee to Taiwan of crimes relating to illegal border crossing, and sentenced them to up to three years in prison. 

Two of the 10 were convicted of organising the crossing on a boat and received three- and two-year prison sentences and fined 20,000 RMB (£2,260) and 15,000 RMB (£1,700). 

The remaining eight were convicted of illegal border crossing and received a seven-month prison sentence and a 10,000 RMB (£1,130) fine. 

The 10 Hongkongers had attempted to flee in a speedboat to democratic Taiwan in August, two months after Beijing imposed a national security law on the city which makes it easier to crack down on dissent. 

After being intercepted by the Chinese coast guard in mainland Chinese waters, they were handed over to authorities in Shenzhen, a city across the border from Hong Kong. Their families have not been able to see them since they were detained on August 23 or appoint their own lawyers. 

Two minors also detained along with the group were not prosecuted and will be handed over to Hong Kong authorities on Wednesday, according to statements from prosecutors and police in Shenzhen’s Yantian district. 

The online announcement of the sentences by the Yantian District People’s Court in Shenzhen followed a trial on Monday that Britain had condemned as secret and Western diplomats were barred from attending.  

The court had said the trial was open, and attended by family members and journalists. However, family members said they could not attend the hearing, and journalists from international and Hong Kong media were turned away. 

The defendants had faced up to a year in prison for illegally crossing the border and seven years for organising the trip. 

Authorities have deepened a crackdown on dissent in Hong Kong since the national security law was imposed on the city at the end of June. The law punishes anything Beijing considers to be subversion, secession, terrorism or collision with foreign forces with up to life in prison. 

Since then, authorities have disqualified opposition legislators, and police have charged or investigated dozens of activists. Some high-profile activists have been imprisoned, while others have sought exile abroad.

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