Hong Kong national security trial: prosecutors accuse 47 opposition figures of plotting to turn legislature into ‘lethal constitutional weapon’ against Beijing
- Prosecution alleges 47 defendants plotted to turn legislature into ‘lethal constitutional weapon’ against Beijing by organising and taking part in unofficial primary election
- High-profile case has garnered widespread attention both locally and overseas with police on high alert as trial opened
The prosecutors on Monday began explaining their basis for accusing the 47 of conspiracy to commit subversion, in a high-profile case which has garnered widespread attention both locally and overseas and put police on high alert as the trial opened in West Kowloon Court.
In the city’s largest national security case to date, 16 of the 47, who include activists, politicians and former lawmakers, pleaded not guilty on the first day of their estimated 90-day trial. Two others switched from previously intending to plead not guilty and admitted the charge on the same day.
“I failed to subvert the totalitarian regime and I plead guilty,” said Ng Kin-wai, one of the two.
The other was Mike Lam King-nam, boss of the Thai convenience store chain AbouThai. He and three organisers of the primary – Au Nok-hin, Andrew Chiu Ka-yin and Ben Chung Kam-lun – have agreed to testify for the prosecution.
The case centres on an unofficial primary the opposition camp held in July 2020 – in the aftermath of the 2019 anti-government unrest – to pick its best candidates for the Legislative Council elections originally set for September that year. The Legco poll was subsequently postponed because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
