Hong Kong releases second group of democrats invoved in “Hong Kong 47”

after spending 4 years in jail

Four individuals involved in the landmark “Hong Kong 47” national security trial were released from prison on Friday, May 30, 2025, after being incarcerated for over four years.

This marks the second group to be freed within a month.

The trial involved 47 pro-democracy figures accused of conspiracy to commit subversion under Hong Kong’s Beijing-imposed national security law.

One of those released was Jimmy Sham, a well-known political and LGBTQ rights activist.

Sham was a prominent leader of the Civil Human Rights Front (CHRF), a group that played a key role in organizing large-scale protests during the 2019 pro-democracy demonstrations in Hong Kong.

The CHRF, once one of the most influential pro-democracy organizations in the region, disbanded in 2021 following increasing pressure under the national security law.

In addition to Sham, the others released on Friday were Kinda Li, Roy Tam, and Henry Wong.

Local media outlets reported that some of them were seen arriving at their homes early in the morning.

Jimmy Sham briefly addressed the media in Cantonese, saying he planned to reunite with his family later that day.

Kinda Li expressed appreciation to the reporters gathered outside, thanking them for their dedication before heading indoors.

These four are the second group of detainees from the Hong Kong 47 to be released recently.

In late April, four former pro-democracy legislators, Claudia Mo, Kwok Ka-ki, Jeremy Tam, and Gary Fan—were also freed.

They had been held in three different prisons across Hong Kong and were released around dawn.

The case against the 47 activists began in early 2021, when they were arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit subversion.

This is a crime that carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment under the national security law imposed by Beijing.

The charges stemmed from the organization of an unofficial primary election in 2020.

This vote was intended to select opposition candidates for the Legislative Council elections.

Prosecutors alleged that the aim was to win a majority and block government legislation.

This, according to them, forced the resignation of the chief executive, a move they claimed was subversive in nature.

Of the 47 individuals tried, 45 were convicted in what became a lengthy and high-profile trial.

Only two were acquitted. Many of the convicted now face sentences of up to 10 years in prison.

The legislative election for which the primary had been held was later postponed and eventually restructured.

The new electoral framework ensured that only candidates deemed “patriotic” and loyal to Beijing could run.

This, experts say, effectively bars the pro-democracy opposition from participating.

The trial and the harsh sentences sparked international criticism.

Human rights organizations and several Western governments, including the United States, condemned the trial as politically driven and called for the immediate release of the activists.

They argued that the prosecutions were an attempt to silence dissent and dismantle the democratic movement in Hong Kong.

In response, authorities in Hong Kong and Beijing have maintained that the individuals were given a fair trial and that the law applies equally to everyone, regardless of political affiliation.

They have repeatedly emphasized that the national security laws are necessary to maintain stability and prevent unrest.

Since the widespread pro-democracy protests that swept through Hong Kong in 2019, the Chinese government has implemented an extensive crackdown on political dissent.

The national security law, introduced in mid-2020, has been used to target not only activists but also journalists, academics, and civil society organizations.

Organizing public rallies or participating in unofficial elections, are now potentially prosecutable under the law.

They were acts that were once considered legitimate forms of protest.

The release of Sham, Li, Tam, and Wong offers a rare moment of relief for the pro-democracy movement.

This has largely been dismantled through a combination of legal action and institutional reforms.

These were supposedly aimed at tightening Beijing’s control over Hong Kong’s political landscape.

For Diaspora Digital Media Updates click on Whatsapp, or Telegram. For eyewitness accounts/ reports/ articles, write to: citizenreports@diasporadigitalmedia.com. Follow us on X (Fomerly Twitter) or Facebook