A Hong Kong court harshly sentenced 45 prominent pro-democracy figures on November 19, 2024, on baseless national security charges that underscored Hong Kong’s abysmal human rights situation, Human Rights Watch said today. The Hong Kong government should quash the convictions and immediately release all of those convicted.

Three judges handpicked by Hong Kong’s chief executive sentenced 37 men and 8 women to prison terms ranging from 4 years and 2 months to 10 years. The defendants were earlier convicted of “conspiracy to commit subversion” under article 22 of the National Security Law for helping to organize or run as candidates in an informal primary election in 2020 aimed at winning seats in the then-semi-democratic Legislative Council.

“It’s now a crime carrying up to 10 years in prison to try and run in and win an election in Hong Kong,” said Maya Wang, associate China director at Human Rights Watch. “The cruel sentences for dozens of prominent democracy activists show just how fast Hong Kong’s civil liberties and the rule of law have nosedived in the four years since the Chinese government imposed the draconian National Security Law on the city.”

[Edit typo.]