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A6 WORLD NEWS
Tuesday 7 February 2023

Subversion trial for Hong Kong political activists opens

By KANIS LEUNG mit subversion have been
Associated Press detained without bail for
HONG KONG (AP) — Some nearly two years, former
of Hong Kong’s best-known lawmakers Raymond Chan
pro-democracy activists and Helena Wong, who
went on trial Monday in appeared in court on Mon-
the biggest prosecution yet day, were among the mi-
under a law imposed by nority who were granted
China’s ruling Communist bail based on strict condi-
Party to crush dissent. tions.
The 18 defendants face up Ahead of the opening
to life in prison if convicted statements, the pair, along-
under the national security side 14 other activists,
law critics say is eroding the pleaded not guilty in front
autonomy promised when of the judges, who were
Hong Kong returned to Chi- approved by the city’s
na in 1997, and its status as leader to oversee the case.
a global business center. “There is no crime for me to
They were among 47 pro- plead guilty,” former law-
democracy figures who maker Leung Kwok-hung
were arrested in 2021 un- said. Ng and Lam pleaded
der the legislation that was guilty.
imposed following protests Those who intend to plead
in 2019. They were charged Policemen wearing face masks stand guard outside the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts ahead guilty will receive their sen-
in connection with an infor- of the national security trail for the pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong, Monday Feb. 6, 2023. tencing after the trial. Some
mal 2020 primary election. Associated Press of them, including Joshua
The pro-democracy move- Wong and former district
ment has largely dried up The primary in 2020 aimed tor said in his opening state- In previous proceedings, councilor Lester Shum,
after activists were jailed or at picking pro-democracy ment. the 18 activists had indicat- were in the courtroom to
went into exile. candidates who could The prosecution involves ed they intended to plead observe the trial.
Growing numbers of young win control of the terri- many of the city’s most not guilty. But two of them The court also heard that

professionals have re- tory’s Legislative Council. prominent activists, includ- former district councilor Ng four of the 47 activists
sponded to the erosion Prosecutors accuse them ing legal scholar Benny Tai, Kin-wai and businessman would give evidence as
of Hong Kong’s Western- of trying to paralyze Hong former student leader Josh- Mike Lam later changed prosecution witnesses.
style civil liberties by leav- Kong’s government and ua Wong and opposition their minds, joining the oth- Earlier in the morning, more
ing for Britain, the United topple the city’s leader by party leaders Wu Chi-wai er 29 activists, including Tai, than 200 people, including
States and other countries. securing a majority to veto and Alvin Yeung. Wong, Yeung and Wu, who relatives and friends of the
The United States imposed budgets. Tai and four others were plan to admit the charges. defendants, lined up out-
sanctions on officials it “The purpose of the con- the election organizers and While most of the 47 ac- side the court building as
said were to blame for the spiracy is to subvert the had indispensable involve- tivists who were charged local police stepped up se-
abuses. state power,” the prosecu- ment, the prosecutor said. with conspiracy to com- curity in the area.q

Haiti appoints council amid push to hold general elections

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) pointed a transition coun- eral elections are held in a ing no elected officials in will represent political par-
— Haiti’s prime minister cil charged with ensuring country with no democrati- place for a country of more ties; and Laurent Saint-Cyr,
on Monday formally ap- that long-awaited gen- cally elected institutions. than 11 million people. president of the Haitian
While many doubt the cre- Henry called on all Hai- Chamber of Commerce,
ation of the council will tians to unite and fight who will represent the pri-
help the government hold for change as the coun- vate sector.
elections this year as envi- try continues to spiral, The council also will be re-
sioned, Prime Minister Ariel with poverty and hunger sponsible for working with
Henry said it was a signifi- deepening and violence government officials to re-
cant step toward that goal. spiking. The prime minister form Haiti’s constitution,
“It is the beginning of the also thanked the council’s implement economic re-
end of the dysfunction three members for agree- forms and reduce violence
of our democratic institu- ing to join the government as gangs continue to grow
tions,” he said. Haiti has in the “noble and thankless more powerful since the
failed to hold elections task of serving our country presidential assassination,
since the July 2021 assas- in these difficult times.” leading to a rise in killings,
sination of President Jove- The council’s three mem- kidnappings and rapes.
nel Moïse. Henry assumed bers are Calixte Fleuridor The High Transition Coun-
power shortly after Moïse’s with Haiti’s Protestant Fed- cil, as it’s known, also will
Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry leaves at the end of a death, and promised that eration, who will represent choose the members of
ceremony marking the anniversary of the Battle of Vertieres, his administration would civil society; Mirlande Man- a provisional electoral
the last major battle of Haitian independence from France at
the National Pantheon Museum, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Nov. 18, do so. In early January, igat, a law professor and council that needs to be
2022. the terms of the remaining former first lady and presi- in place before election
Associated Press 10 senators expired, leav- dential candidate who planning begins.q