Hong Kong 47: 16 defendants to learn fate after being charged in landmark national security case

At 10am on Thursday, 16 of 47 opposition figures will learn their fate after being charged in a landmark national security case over their roles in an unofficial Legislative Council “primary” in 2020 authorities deemed subversive.

The 16 had contested the charge which carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, while the remaining 31 pleaded guilty before the start of the 118-day trial.

The “47 case” is the biggest prosecution under the national security law Beijing imposed on Hong Kong four years ago, in response to the months-long social unrest that rocked the city in 2019.

Prosecutors have alleged that the unofficial primary election in question aimed to boost the opposition’s prospects of gaining an upper hand in the legislature and compel authorities to accede to protesters’ demands.

According to a source familiar with the matter, hundreds of police officers, including those from the national security and police tactical unit, would be stationed at West Kowloon Court.

Follow the Post’s live coverage as the three judges hand-picked by the city leader deliver their verdict in the biggest national security trial in Hong Kong to date.

Reporting by Brian Wong, Edith Lin, Harvey Kong, Kahon Chan, Jeffie Lam and Lilian Cheng.