Hong Kong Prosecutors Charge 47 With Subversion, Supporters Rally Outside Bail Hearing
Posted by John Chan | Mar 1, 2021
In an orchestrated spectacle seemingly timed to coordinate with leaders in Beijing, 47 prominent pro-democracy supporters—including very nearly every member of Hong Kong’s pro-democracy camp—were crammed into a West Kowloon courtroom on Monday, March 1 for a bail hearing. They were charged the day prior with subversion under the Hong Kong National Security Law (NSL) for running in an informal primary election in July 2020, in which more than 600,000 Hong Kong people voted. If ultimately convicted, they face up to life in prison.
After adjourning for several hours when it emerged that multiple defendants were denied access to their lawyers, Monday’s hearing continued for more than ten hours without reaching a conclusion. Just before 2 a.m. it was adjourned for nine hours after one defendant fainted, and three more were sent to the emergency room after collapsing shortly afterwards. The last prison transport trucks left the courthouse at 5 a.m., taking the defendants back to jail until the hearing resumes at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, March 2.