Hong Kong jails 45 on subversion charges

Tai's sentence is longest yet handed under law to quash dissent after protests in 2019

HONG KONG:

A Hong Kong court on Tuesday jailed all 45 defendants convicted of subversion in the city's largest national security trial, with "mastermind" Benny Tai receiving the longest term of 10 years.

Tai's sentence was the longest yet handed out under the law, which was brought in to quash dissent after massive, sometimes violent protests in 2019.

His 44 co-defendants were sentenced to shorter terms beginning from four years and two months.

All were charged with subversion after holding an informal poll in 2020 as part of a strategy to win a pro-democracy electoral majority. Hong Kong's security minister Chris Tang said Tuesday's sentences "reflected the severity of the crime", but added the government would decide whether to appeal individual sentences.