Gruelling four-day hearing lasting into early hours, with one defendant fainting  âHong Kong civil society will not be silenced by repressionâ â Lam Cho Ming A court in Hong Kong has denied bail to 32 out of 47 pro-democracy politicians and activists, in the biggest mass prosecution since the cityâs national security and criminal law came into effect last June. In a case described by Amnesty International as âunprecedented attack on freedom of expression in Hong Kongâ, the pro-democracy figures are charged with âconspiracy to subversionâ over their organisation and participation in a self-proclaimed primary for last yearâs Legislative Council election, an event later postponed over COVID-19 fears.