Hong Kong 47: Pro-democracy icons sentenced to decades in jail

In a monumental judgment that has drawn widespread international criticism and reignited concerns over the erosion of freedoms in Hong Kong, renowned pro-democracy activists Joshua Wong and Benny Tai, along with other prominent figures, have been sentenced to lengthy prison terms. Convicted of attempting to subvert state power, their trial has been a focal point of the ongoing debate about the National Security Law imposed by Beijing and its implications for the semi-autonomous region's future. Joshua Wong, a globally recognized face of Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement, and Benny Tai, a respected academic and a key architect of the 2014 Umbrella Movement, have been at the forefront of the struggle for democracy in Hong Kong. Their sentencing marks a significant milestone in Beijing's tightening grip on the city, which was handed back to China from British rule in 1997 under a "one country, two systems" framework that promised certain freedoms to the territory – freedoms that critics say are now fast disappearing. The trial of Wong, Tai, and their co-defendants has attracted attention far beyond Hong Kong's borders, highlighting the international community's concerns over the city's diminishing freedoms and the Chinese government's broader crackdown on dissent. The National Security Law, under which they were charged, was implemented in June 2020 and has been widely criticized for its broad, sweeping terms that allow for the criminalization of dissent, suppression of the pro-democracy movement, and a severe curtailment of freedom of speech and assembly. Wong