Hong Kong 47: court begins hearing appeals against activists’ convictions

Legal counsel on Monday urged an appellate court to refrain from adjudicating on “political matters”, saying that any “peaceful” attempt to force the government to accede to a political agenda should be allowed in a democratic society.

More than 100 police officers were stationed at West Kowloon Court for the first oral hearing in the case’s appeal proceedings.

Three Court of First Instance judges last year convicted

14 of 16 defendants who denied plotting to paralyse the government through their involvement in an unofficial legislative “primary” election

in July 2020. The trial ran for 118 days from February to December 2023.

The judges had earlier found the primary to be part of a wider plot to “undermine, destroy or overthrow” the city government.