Tuesday, November 19, will be D-Day for 45 Hong Kong activists awaiting sentencing in the biggest case under the national security law, which critics say has crushed political activism in the semi-autonomous Chinese city.

These convictions are seen by many as part of China’s crackdown that has dashed hopes for a more democratic Hong Kong. In May, 14 of the 47 were found guilty of conspiracy to commit subversion, and two were acquitted of participating in an unofficial primary election to elect opposition candidates, the news agency reported. Reuters. 31 people had previously pleaded guilty in the hope of reducing sentences.

A plan to bring about political change through unofficial primaries in 2020 would undermine the government’s authority and create a constitutional crisis, according to three government-approved judges. Almost four years after their arrest, Hong Kong pro-democracy activists are scheduled to be sentenced on Tuesday (November 19).

So who are they?

Benny Tai

Benny Tai was a law professor at the University of Hong Kong and a member of an advisory committee that helped collect views on the draft Basic Law before the former British colony returned to Chinese rule in 1997. He was awarded the Medal of Honor in 1997. by the government in 2001 to promote civic education. However, it was withdrawn in 2022.

He was one of the organizers of the 2019 primary elections, which drew 610,000 voters, accounting for more than 13 percent of the city’s registered voters.

The judges said Tai stated that gaining a legislative majority was a “constitutional weapon of mass destruction” that would allow the pro-democracy camp to veto government budgets. Under the city’s Basic Law, or mini-constitution, the city leader can dissolve the legislature if the budget is unacceptable. However, if the budget is blocked again by the next legislature, the leader must resign.

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Judges said Tai aimed to “undermine, destroy or overthrow” Hong Kong’s “existing political system and structure”. Tai admitted the accusation. His lawyer, who sought a shorter sentence, said Tai had always supported non-violence and believed his actions were legal.

Tai is perhaps best known as one of the founders of the city’s 2014 Occupy Movement. During this movement, demonstrators occupied the streets and brought traffic to a halt in some areas for nearly 80 days, demanding direct elections for the city’s leader.

Joshua Wong

Joshua Wong was involved in activism from an early age, with his most famous attempt as a high school student leading protests against the introduction of national education in the city’s schools. He later became famous for leading the Occupy Movement.

In 2016, Wong founded a political party called “Demosisto” with fellow young activists Nathan Law and Agnes Chow. In the 2019 pro-democracy movement, Wong helped seek support abroad for the protests. His activism led Beijing to label him as an advocate for Hong Kong’s independence who was “begging for intervention” from foreign powers.

Demosisto dissipated when Beijing enacted the security law in 2020. Wong won the primaries, but the government postponed the official elections, citing public health risks during the COVID-19 pandemic. Wong pleaded guilty and asked for a lesser sentence. His lawyer said he hoped that after completing this he would be able to “move on from his past and reorganize himself”.

Wu Chi-wai

Wu Chi-wai, the former chairman of the Democratic Party, Hong Kong’s largest pro-democracy party, was awarded the Medal of Honor for his community service in 2006.

Wu pleaded guilty after his lawyer said he had been in public service for more than 30 years and that he and his party were not calling for indiscriminate vetoes of budgets. Three former government officials wrote letters requesting a reduced sentence for him. Wu’s parents passed away while he was in custody, and he was only able to briefly attend their funerals.

Gordon Ng

Gordon Ng, a dual citizen of Australia and Hong Kong, was declared the organizer of the primary by prosecutors. This is a charge that Ng has consistently denied and maintained that he is not guilty.

In their decision, the judges acknowledged that Ng did not organize the plan and was not a candidate. But they noted his campaign, which urged voters to support the primary winners through social media posts and a front-page ad by the now-shuttered pro-democracy Apple Daily newspaper, founded by Jimmy Lai.

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Ng, who has asked for lesser sentences, said his support for the primary was linked to his belief that it could bridge differences in the pro-democracy camp that has long been plagued by infighting. He said he never asked candidates to promise to veto budgets.

With inputs from AP