12 individuals jailed for 2019 Hong Kong legislature siege
In Hong Kong, a court has issued prison sentences to 12 individuals for their roles in the storming of the city's legislative council building during the 2019 anti-government protests. Among those sentenced are notable figures such as actor Gregory Wong, former student leader Althea Suen, and political activists Ventus Lau and Owen Chow. Their convictions include rioting and, for some, additional related offenses.
Judge Li Chi-ho delivered sentences that varied from 4 1/2 years to 6 years and 10 months, taking into account each individual's level of participation and other mitigating circumstances. Two individuals who were acquitted of rioting were nevertheless found guilty of unlawfully entering the legislative building. The actions of the accused were part of broader protests against Chinese Communist Party rule, which led to the arrest of over 10,200 individuals, with more than 870 charged with rioting.
Lau and Chow, along with other pro-democracy activists, also face charges under a national security law imposed by Beijing in 2021. This law has been a point of contention, as it is seen by many as a means to suppress dissent in the semi-autonomous region.
