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Hong Kong national security law
Hong KongLaw and Crime

Hong Kong national security law: 53 former opposition lawmakers, activists arrested; authorities accuse them of plot to ‘overthrow’ government

  • Nearly 1,000 police officers conduct raids across city, detaining 53 people accused of organising or involvement in unofficial primary election last July
  • Authorities say the ‘35-plus’ plan to take control of the 70-member legislature in now-postponed official elections ran afoul of the national security law

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Opposition activist Benny Tai is taken to Ma On Shan Police Station after his arrest. Photo: Bloomberg
Natalie Wong,Danny Lee,Chris LauandPhila Siu
More than 50 former opposition lawmakers and activists were arrested on Wednesday on subversion charges in the biggest crackdown yet under Hong Kong’s national security law, with authorities accusing them of a plot to “overthrow” the government.
Nearly 1,000 police officers conducted raids across the city, detaining 53 people accused of organising or involvement in the pan-democratic camp’s unofficial, primary run-off election last July in which 610,000 voters took part.
Officials said the “35-plus” plan by opposition politicians to take control of the 70-member Legislative Council in now-postponed official elections ran afoul of the national security law as it was part of a wider strategy to paralyse the government, provoke Beijing into ending the “one country, two systems” policy under which Hong Kong is governed, and trigger international sanctions against China.

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Hong Kong police arrest 53 opposition lawmakers and activists, warn of more arrests

Hong Kong police arrest 53 opposition lawmakers and activists, warn of more arrests

“The operation of the National Security Department of the police today has only targeted active players who are suspected of organising, planning, committing or participating in subversion,” Secretary for Security John Lee Ka-chiu said.

“These persons were arrested for investigation in accordance with the law. The operation does not involve people who played a passive role or only voted in the so-called primary election.”

The mass arrests, which included a raid on a law firm and court orders being served to four media outlets demanding journalists surrender documents related to the case, sparked an outcry from the opposition camp and its supporters which included Western governments.

 

Both the Office for Safeguarding National Security and the liaison office, Beijing’s top representative arm in Hong Kong, issued statements backing the crackdown and singling out academic Benny Tai Yiu-ting, one of the key figures arrested who had drafted the “35-plus” strategy.
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