Four Ex-Hong Kong Legislators Released After Serving Time Under Controversial Beijing Security Legislation

HONG KONG — Four former lawmakers were released from prison on Tuesday after serving over four years under a security law imposed by Beijing. This law severely curtailed the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong.

The individuals—Claudia Mo, Jeremy Tam, Kwok Ka-ki, and Gary Fan—were part of a group of 47 activists arrested in 2021 for participating in an unofficial primary election. Their release marks the first time those convicted have reunited with their families after years apart.

The escape vehicles, which were tightly secured, left three remote prisons in Hong Kong. Mo’s husband, Philip Bowring, expressed relief at her return, noting that she was “well and in good spirits,” but added that she would not be giving interviews for the time being.

He mentioned plans to visit England to see their grandchildren soon. In a video shared by local media, Fan expressed gratitude to the people of Hong Kong and stated his intention to reunite with his family.

The unofficial primary, held in 2020, attracted around 610,000 voters, with the victors planned to advance to the official legislative elections. However, authorities postponed these elections, citing public health concerns amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Prosecutors claimed the activists aimed to incapacitate Hong Kong’s government and provoke the resignation of its leader, while judges deemed their plans as potentially creating a constitutional crisis. Among the original defendants, only two were acquitted.

The others received prison sentences ranging from four years to a decade for conspiracy to commit subversion. Mo, Tam, Kwok, and Fan had pleaded guilty, which resulted in lighter sentences.

Numerous democracy advocates found themselves on the wrong side of the crackdown, including prominent figures like Benny Tai and Joshua Wong. Critics point to these convictions as evidence of a wider crackdown on dissent in Hong Kong, particularly following the anti-government protests in 2019.

They argue that these actions show a significant deterioration of civil liberties promised during the 1997 handover to China. While the governments in Beijing and Hong Kong defend the national security law as essential for stability, there remains substantial criticism from foreign entities regarding the judicial decisions made against the activists.