Hong Kong Court Rejects Appeals, Keeps 12 Activists in Prison in Subversion Case

The defendants were among a group of opposition figures in a case called ‘Hong Kong 47.’
Hong Kong Court Rejects Appeals, Keeps 12 Activists in Prison in Subversion Case
Police stand guard outside the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts as 12 pro-democracy activists appeal their convictions and sentences in a landmark national security case, in Hong Kong on Feb. 23, 2026. Jessie Pang/Reuters
Frank Fang
Frank Fang
Reporter
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A Hong Kong court on Monday upheld the prison sentences and convictions of 12 pro-democracy activists, rejecting their appeals in a national security case that has drawn international attention as freedoms in the city continue to erode.

The appeal stems from the high-profile “Hong Kong 47” case, in which 47 opposition figures were arrested in 2021 and charged with conspiracy to commit subversion. After lengthy court proceedings, 45 were sentenced to between four and ten years in November 2024, while two others were acquitted. The case drew international criticism from rights groups and from some countries, including the United States, the UK, and Canada.
Frank Fang
Frank Fang
Reporter
Frank Fang is a Taiwan-based journalist. He covers news in China and Taiwan. He holds a Master's degree in materials science from National Tsing Hua University in Taiwan.
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