The figures include Benny Tai Yiu-ting, a former law professor who initiated an unofficial “primary” election for opposition parties in 2020 to gain a majority in the Legislative Council.

City leader John Lee says an ‘indiscriminate’ veto of government budgets contravenes the Basic Law. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

The plot, which was floated during the 2019 unrest, was aimed at forcing the administration to accede to protesters’ demands through a possible veto of the government budget.

Lee also said the convictions had shown the massive scale and severity of the case, as well as the national security risks the city faced.

“Criminals will use excuses to mislead the public and engage in actions endangering national security. The so-called primary in the case in fact is to endanger national security,” he said.

“We must stay vigilant. The risk of endangering national security can come as it pleases.”

The city leader urged the public not to forget the pain inflicted by the “colour revolution” in 2019 and not to allow Hong Kong to suffer, adding the city could only focus on economic and livelihood development when society was safe and stable.

Asked whether amending the Basic Law stating Legco could veto budgets was needed, Lee said the crux of the matter lay in whether lawmakers were “indiscriminately” voting the blueprint down.

“The court has ruled that Legco’s constitutional responsibility is to deliberate on the budget or other financial bills in accordance with their pros and cons. Lawmakers can either approve or object to them. They can also raise any opinion and amendment,” he said.

“I believe this is also the expectation from the public. Residents hope that lawmakers serve the overall interests of the community as they deliberate on any bills.”

Benny Tai, a former law professor who initiated an unofficial “primary” election for opposition parties in 2020 to gain a majority in Legco. Photo: Nora Tam

Last week, three High Court judges ruled that the unofficial primary election was part of a wider plot to “undermine, destroy or overthrow” the government by creating a constitutional crisis after taking over the legislature.

Among the 47 opposition figures, 14 of the 16 who contested the charges were convicted of subversion last week and only two were acquitted. Thirty-one activists pleaded guilty before the start of the 118-day trial, including Tai.

The court earlier scheduled mitigation hearings for the convicted for June 25.

The latest information from the judiciary suggested that Tai and at least three other organisers of the unofficial poll, namely former lawmaker Au Nok-hin, former district councillors Andrew Chiu Ka-yin and Ben Chung Kam-lun, who all pleaded guilty earlier, would also appear that day for mitigation.

Au, Chiu and Chung had earlier pleaded guilty to their charges and served as prosecution witnesses.

The government had indicated its intention to appeal the acquittal of former district councillors Lawrence Lau Wai-chung and Lee Yue-shun, the first defendants to be found not guilty under the national security law introduced four years ago to end the anti-government protest chaos of 2019.

Темы и теги

Гонконг Политика

Джон Ли Бенни Тай Ию-тинг осторожный обвинение активист призыв угроза безопасность лидер гонконг национальный