HONG KONG (AP) – Hong Kong police on Sunday detained 47 pro-democracy activists accused of conspiracy to commit subversion under the city’s national security law, the largest mass indictment against the opposition camp in semi-Chinese territory -autonomous since the law came into effect in June last year.
Former parliamentarians and democracy advocates were previously arrested in a police operation in January, but were released. They have been detained again and will appear in court on Monday, police said in a statement.
They allegedly violated the national security law imposed by Beijing to run in informal elections for the Hong Kong legislature last year.
The defendants include 39 men and eight women between the ages of 23 and 64, police said.
The move is part of a continuing crackdown on the city’s democracy movement, with a series of arrests and prosecutions of Hong Kong democracy supporters – including sincere activists Joshua Wong and Jimmy Lai – after months of anti-government protests in 2019.
The pro-democracy camp held primaries to determine the best candidates to win a majority in the legislature and had plans to vote on major bills that would eventually force Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam, resign.
In January, 55 activists and former parliamentarians were arrested for their primary roles.
Authorities said activist participation was part of a plan to paralyze the city’s legislature and undermine state power.
Legislative elections following unofficial mayors were postponed by a year by Lam, who cited public health risks during the coronavirus pandemic. The mass resignations and disqualifications of pro-democracy parliamentarians have largely left the legislature a pro-Beijing body.
Former MP Eddie Chu was among those arrested on Sunday. A post on his official Twitter account confirmed that he was accused of conspiracy to commit subversion and that he was denied bail.
“Thank you to the people of Hong Kong for giving me the opportunity to contribute to society for the past 15 years,” Chu said in a post on his Facebook page.
Another mayoral candidate, Winnie Yu, has also been charged and will appear in court on Monday, according to a post on her official Facebook page.
US lawyer John Clancey, a member of the now-defunct Democratic Power Group, “Power for Democracy,” who was arrested in January for his involvement in the primary, was not among those detained on Sunday.
“I will give full support to those who have been charged and will be facing trial, because from my perspective, they have done nothing wrong,” Clancey told reporters.
Security law criminalizes acts of subversion, secession, terrorism and collusion with foreign powers to intervene in Hong Kong business. Serious offenders could receive a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. Nearly 100 people have been arrested since law enforcement.