More than 40 of Hong Kong’s best known pro-democracy figures have been sentenced to prison terms of up to 10 years on subversion charges, in the biggest single blow to the city’s already shrinking political freedoms following Beijing’s sweeping crackdown on dissent.

A Hong Kong court has sentenced dozens of pro-democracy leaders to years in jail for subversion, following a controversial national security trial. Benny Tai, 60, and Joshua Wong, 28, were among the so-called Hong Kong 47 group of activists and lawmakers who were involved in a plan to pick opposition candidates for local elections.

Hong Kong’s High Court has sentenced a group of 45 pro-democracy activists and politicians to prison in one of the city’s biggest national security cases.

Former student leader Joshua Wong, 28, was among those sentenced under a draconian security law imposed on the city by Beijing.

The activists were arrested over a single day in 2021 and charged with “conspiracy to commit subversion” for taking part in an unofficial primary election.

More than 40 of Hong Kong’s best known pro-democracy figures have been sentenced to prison terms of up to 10 years on subversion charges, in the biggest single blow to the city’s already shrinking political freedoms since Beijing imposed a sweeping national security crackdown four years ago.

Forty-five prominent activists in Hong Kong have been sentenced to up to 10 years in jail, sparking criticism from foreign governments and rights groups