HONG KONG – Two pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong pleaded guilty to charges of illegal assembly during mammoth anti-government protests in August 2019 while seven others, including media mogul Jimmy Lai, pleaded not guilty.
The anti-government protests were fuelled by concerns that Beijing was stifling the wide-ranging freedoms promised to the former British colony when it reverted to Chinese rule in 1997 and that plunged the city into its biggest crisis since the transition to China.
In spite of heavy rain, more than 1 million people attended the rally.
Former pro-democracy politician and activist Au Nok-hin pleaded guilty to conducting and attending an unauthorised assembly, while Leung Yiu-chung, another activist, pleaded guilty to taking part in a similar gathering.
Leung and Au will hear the verdict on March 22.
Seven other activists facing trial, including prominent critic Lai, Democratic Party founder Martin Lee, and veteran activists Lee Cheuk-yan, and Leung Kwok-hung, pleaded not guilty. The latter two shouted “Object to political prosecution!” when they made the plea.
Lai has been jailed since December and is slated for another appearance in court on Thursday to appeal against an earlier decision to deny him bail regarding charges of colluding with foreign elements.