Hong Kong court dismisses appeal of 12 activists over landmark subversion case

South China Morning PostEN 1 min read 100% complete by Matthew Cheng,Natalie WongFebruary 23, 2026 at 01:15 PM

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A Hong Kong court dismissed appeals from 12 opposition activists convicted in the city's largest national security case, upholding their convictions and sentences related to a 2020 unofficial primary election deemed subversive. The Court of Appeal also upheld the acquittal of barrister Lawrence Lau Wai-chung, one of the 47 activists prosecuted. The Hong Kong government stated it would review the judgment and consider appealing Lau's acquittal. The lower court had previously ruled the primary election a "grand strategy of subversion" under the Beijing-imposed national security law, with sentences for the 45 activists ranging from four years and two months to 10 years. The appeals sought to overturn convictions or reduce sentences.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Beijing 50% Department of Justice 60% Court of Appeal 60% Lawrence Lau Wai-chung ×270% Hong Kong government 70% National Security Law 80% Hong Kong ×490%

Keywords

national security law 90% subversion 80% hong kong court 70% appeal dismissed 70% primary election 60% activists 60% sentences 50% department of justice 40% state power 40%