Saturday, March 29, 2025
In a major update to the controversial Hong Kong 47 case, four pro-democracy lawmakers—Claudia Mo, Jeremy Tam, Kwok Ka-ki, and Gary Fan—were released after spending more than four years in jail. Their release marks the first wave of freedom for those caught up in the largest national security trial in Hong Kong’s history.
The Hong Kong 47 refers to a group of democracy advocates arrested in 2021 for participating in unofficial political primaries. Prosecutors claimed this violated the sweeping National Security Law (NSL) imposed by Beijing in 2020.
The group, which included activists, former legislators, and community leaders, sought to win a majority in Hong Kong’s Legislative Council (LegCo) to block government bills—actions the court later deemed as subversive.
All four—Mo, Tam, Kwok, and Fan—had received the shortest prison terms due to guilty pleas. Nevertheless, they served over four years in total, much of it in pre-trial detention.
Claudia Mo, 68, is a former journalist and founder of the Civic Party.
Jeremy Tam and Kwok Ka-ki, both ex-members of the Civic Party, were held at Stanley Prison.
Gary Fan, a former lawmaker, was jailed at Shek Pik.
Local media spotted security vehicles transporting the released individuals in the early hours of Tuesday, as police barriers restricted media access near the prisons.
Outside her home, Mo’s husband, Philip Bowring, expressed relief and said Mo was “in good spirits” but would not speak to the press yet. A banner reading “Welcome home Mum” was seen inside their residence.
Gary Fan briefly thanked Hongkongers as he returned home, saying he was eager to reunite with his family.
Of the 47, only two were acquitted. Fourteen others were convicted after pleading not guilty and received harsher sentences. Over 40 remain incarcerated, including prominent activist Joshua Wong and legal scholar Benny Tai—accused of being the group’s “mastermind.”
Tai faced up to life in prison but received a sentence of over 10 years.
The trial was seen globally as part of a broader China campaign to dismantle Hong Kong’s democratic institutions. At the heart of the case was the claim that the group’s intent to block government funding through LegCo constituted subversion.
Government-appointed judges agreed, though critics argue such intent was legal political opposition.
The NSL’s broad language has drawn condemnation from human rights groups and foreign governments, who see it as a tool for political suppression.
Chinese authorities defend the NSL as necessary for restoring order after the 2019 protests. However, critics say it silences dissent, curbs freedoms, and criminalizes legitimate political expression.
Thousands of protesters were arrested during the unrest, and many remain in legal limbo. Accusations of police abuse during the protests were dismissed in official investigations, further fuelling global concern.
The release of the four lawmakers marks a small but significant moment in the ongoing saga of the Hong Kong 47. Their freedom brings hope to families but underscores the harsh legal reality for dozens still imprisoned under charges stemming from their fight for democracy.
