Forty-five Pro-Democracy Activists Sentenced in Hong Kong National Security Case

The Hong Kong government has handed down prison sentences ranging from four years and eight months to ten years to 45 pro-democracy activists. The activists, including prominent figures such as Joshua Wong and Benny Tai, were found guilty of conspiring to subvert the government by attempting to force out the territory's chief executive through a plan to block laws. The harsh penalties underscore the erosion of political freedoms in Hong Kong, with the United States, Australia, and rights groups condemning the sentencing as evidence of repression.