Taiwan slams jailing of 45 Hong Kong activists

Taipei, Nov. 19 (CNA) Taiwan's Presidential Office on Tuesday weighed in on a mass trial in Hong Kong, where 45 former politicians and activists were given prison sentences in a national security case, calling it a blow to the city's pursuit of freedom and democracy.

In a press statement, Presidential Office spokesperson Karen Kuo (郭雅慧) said the imprisonment of the 45 campaigners from four to 10 years was a "severe violation of the Hong Kong people's pursuit of freedom and democracy."

Kuo "strongly condemned" Beijing for its use of the judiciary to curtail the "political participation and freedom of speech" of pro-democracy campaigners in Hong Kong, adding that the move further demonstrated the "one country, two systems" political arrangement imposed on Hong Kong was "unfeasible."

The spokesperson echoed former President Tsai Ing-wen's (蔡英文) rejection of a "one country, two systems" formula for Taiwan proposed by China's leader Xi Jinping in 2019.

She added that Taiwan would continue to support the people of Hong Kong in their pursuit of freedom and democracy and called on the international community to keep close tabs on what was happening in the city.

Meanwhile, the Hong Kong Outlanders -- a civic group comprising Taiwan-based Hongkongers -- said in a separate statement they would continue to "speak out" against injustice despite anticipating Beijing and Hong Kong authorities to continue pressure on pro-democracy activists.

The group also called for more action from the Taiwanese government to protect the rights of Hong Kongers and ensure they can "live in Taiwan peacefully" and be "free from the threats of [Beijing's] repression across borders."

Earlier on Tuesday, 45 pro-democracy activists, including Joshua Wong (黃之鋒) -- a prominent figure since the 2014 Umbrella Movement in Hong Kong -- were jailed by the city's high court for conspiracy to commit subversion.

Wong was one of the 47 pro-democracy campaigners arrested and charged in 2021 under the Beijing-imposed National Security Law for their involvement in a "primary election" held by the pro-democracy camp in July 2020 to select candidates for an upcoming legislative election in the city.

Benny Tai (戴耀廷), a former law professor at the University of Hong Kong, was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

This trial was considered the most forceful use of the draconian law introduced following months-long protests in Hong Kong in 2019 against Chinese rule.