Four former opposition lawmakers were released on Tuesday after completing their prison sentences in a landmark national security case in Hong Kong. They were part of a group of 47 arrested under a 2020 law following significant pro-democracy protests. Of those arrested, 45 were convicted, and the four released received the lightest sentences of four years and two months. Their trial and the severe sentences have faced condemnation from various international observers, including the U.S. and United Nations, who cited concerns over the implications for human rights and political freedoms in Hong Kong.
The four opposition figures pleaded guilty and were each sentenced to four years and two months in prison in November, marking the first release among a group of 45 convicted.
The arrests stemmed from a national security law imposed by Beijing, which accused Hong Kong democrats of conspiring to subvert state power amid significant pro-democracy protests.
Western governments and rights groups have condemned the sentences, with the U.S. labeling them as 'unjust' while Hong Kong's authorities maintain that all received fair trials.
Under the national security law, Hong Kong has seen 322 arrests and 163 convictions, escalating concerns over the diminishing political freedoms in the region.
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