The trial started on February 6 but before the court, most of these 47 had already been detained for over two years with an excuse of “time is needed to prepare for the evidence and investigation for the prosecution”.

Among the 47, there are independent trade union leaders1, former and current elected legislators and district councilors and their staff, scholars, political party and group leaders and activists, journalists, charity foundation board members, church and religious group leaders, businessmen, students, and social media key-opinion leaders, etc.

The trial is a continuation of an ungrounded political prosecution that aims at silencing political dissents and their voices, and the whole civil society in Hong Kong after the Anti-extradition Law Movement and the enforcement of the National Security Law in Hong Kong in July 2020.

The 47 are accused of organizing a state subversion campaign to overthrow the government but actually they just organized a public and transparent rehearsal of primary election among the democratic camp aiming to strategically decide the most popular candidates to join and win more seats in the next legislative council election in Hong Kong.

However, on January 7, 2021, 47 who involved in the primary election campaign were arrested, detained, and denied bail except a few.

Before the trial, there have been rumors about the 47 defendants’ position towards the accusation (2).
Today their position is clear:

– 27 pleaded guilty including former HKU law professor Benny Tai and prominent activist Joshua Wong.

– Four pleaded guilty including former lawmaker Au Nok-hin, but then have turned into witnesses to testify against the other former close allies at court.

– 16 pleaded not guilty including LSD leader Leung Kwok Hung (Long hair) and former Stand News reporter Gwyneth Ho.

The 16 insist that they did nothing wrong by joining an election rehearsal campaign. They were just exercising their basic rights as a citizen of Hong Kong.
Under National Security Law and the current fierce political suppression, pleading not guilty requires special personal ethical braveness and courage as it means the 16 may get longer sentence by insisting the truth and their rights under the rule of law in Hong Kong.
Our movement needs people like the brave 16 who pleaded not guilty to inspire the Hong Kong people not giving up the fight for full democracy against the tyranny of the CCP and the Hong Kong government.

Salute the 16 who pleaded not guilty!

Stop political prosecution of the 47 Hongkongers!

Release all the 47 now!

Notes :

1. The three trade union leaders of the independent trade unions are Lee Cheuk Yan and Carol Ng of Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions (HKCTU -dissolved in 2021) and Winnie Yu of Hospital Authority Employees Alliance (HAEA)

2. https://hongkongfp.com/2023/02/06/47-democrats-hong-kongs-largest-national-security-trial-begins-as-200-line-up-for-public-seats/ See the full list of the 47 in details.