Court releases one Hong Kong activist on bail in the event involving 47
11 March, 2021
Hong Kong's High Court released on bail on Thursday (Mar 11) one activist charged with conspiracy to commit subversion but remanded another in a widely monitored case that saw the most sweeping use yet of the city's national security law.
The High Court was ruling on an appeal by prosecutors against a lower court's decision to grant bail to the activists.
Foreign diplomats and rights groups are closely watching proceedings as concerns mount over the vanishing space for dissent in the former British colony, which includes taken a swift authoritarian turn because the imposition of the law in June 2020.
The case offers an insight into how the security law drafted by Beijing clashes with the global financial hub's common-law traditions, and could see activists held in custody for months until their trial begins.
In contrast with past practice, the brand new security law puts the onus on defendants to prove they'll not pose a security threat if released on bail.
A lower court granted 15 activists bail the other day after marathon hearings of 47 opposition figures, which stretched in to the night for four consecutive days and saw a number of the defendants falling ill and hospitalised.
Prosecutors appealed the bail decisions, however, preventing the activists' immediate release. Four were released last Friday after prosecutors withdrew appeals.
Former opposition lawmaker Helena Wong premiered on bail on Thursday as the High Court rejected the appeal. Community-level democratic politician Ng Kin-wai was remanded in custody. The court will publish its reasons later.
Nine others are set to appear in court in two batches on Saturday and Monday.
The conditions for Wong's bail included not threatening national security, participating in any elections, or contacting foreign officials, together with surrendering all travel documents, observing a curfew and reporting to police regularly.
Of the 32 for whom bail was denied, about two dozen are appealing your choice, with hearings starting on Friday.
The 47 activists are accused of organising and taking part in an unofficial, non-binding primary poll in July 2020 that authorities said was part of a "vicious plot" to "overthrow" the federal government.
The vote was targeted at selecting the strongest opposition candidates for a legislative council election that the federal government later postponed, citing the coronavirus.
The detentions have already been fiercely criticised by governments in the West, including in Britain and america.
Hong Kong's Department of Justice has said no person should hinder independent prosecutorial decisions, since it would undermine the rule of law.
Supporters of the security law, which punishes what it broadly defines as secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces with up alive in prison, say it's important to revive stability in Hong Kong after months of pro-democracy protests in 2019.
Hong Kong laws restrict media coverage of the content of bail hearings.
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