Hong Kong court sentences prominent pro-democracy activists | DW News

Ten of Hong Kong's most prominent democracy campaigners have been sentenced for their roles in the 2019 anti-government protests. Media tycoon, Jimmy Lai, will serve a total of 14-months in prison. He's been given TWO sentences for unauthorized assembly during the demonstrations. Meanwhile Martin Lee, who is 82, and known as Hong Kong's 'Father of Democracy', has been handed an 11-month suspended sentence. Almost 1.7-Mmillion people took part in pro-democracy marches in the city in 2019.

A silver medal awarded to Yeung Sum by the government for his political work. It was something this former lawmaker felt proud of. But 12 years later, it seems to represent a Hong Kong that's been lost.

Yeung Sum was one of ten defendants found guilty of organizing or attending marches in 2019 during massive anti-government protests.

Many opposition icons of his generation now sentenced for the first time. This just the first of 6 charges against Yeung Sum. The 73-year-old has taught at the University of Hong Kong for decades while also engaging in politics. In court, he was the only defendant to read out his submission in person. Yeung Sum calls himself a moderate who hoped for democracy under Chinese rule. But that hasn't happened.

Before Hong Kong’s handover from Britain to China, Yeung Sum and fellow activist, Martin Lee set up the Democratic Party. They were among the first lawmakers directly elected to voice dissent in the chamber, and paved the way for Hong Kong’s party politics. But now the national security law and an electoral overhaul are making it difficult for opposition parties to even survive.

The fight of his generation may soon become history. But he doesn’t think their efforts will have been in vain. Yeung Sum believes democratic values are now deeply-rooted in Hong Kong’s culture.

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