What people are indicating about the jailing of a few Hong Kong democracy activists

HONG KONG (Reuters) – Joshua Wong, 24, a person of Hong Kong’s most prominent democracy activists, was jailed on Wednesday for 13-1/2 months for his purpose in an unlawful anti-govt rally in 2019, the hardest and most high-profile sentencing of an opposition determine this calendar year.

His very long-time colleagues Agnes Chow, 23, and Ivan Lam, 26, have been jailed for a overall of 10 and 7 months, respectively, on costs connected to the very same siege when thousands of protesters surrounded the police headquarters on June 21 to need the govt withdraw a now-shelved extradition invoice.

Here is what people today are saying about the sentences:

Dominic Raab, Britain’s foreign minister:

“Prosecution decisions must be fair and impartial, and the rights and freedoms of people today in Hong Kong should be upheld.”

Lord (David) Alton, United kingdom member of Dwelling of Lords:

“Jailing a young woman like Agnes Chow and youthful gentlemen like Ivan Lam and Joshua Wong – only mainly because they love Hong Kong – is a travesty of justice. You cannot fight the upcoming, time is on their side.”

Nathan Legislation, pro-democracy activist-in-exile, previous chairman of Demosisto:

“It’s devastating to see the sentencing. It’s an absurdly significant sentencing and the independence of the judiciary method is in doubt.

“It demonstrates that the court docket once once again grow to be the suppression tool in favor to the authorities and the authority is decided to imprison popular activists to set an example.

“I hope the international neighborhood could voice against this unjust sentencing and demand from customers speedy release of the trio.

“As Joshua stated prior to he remaining the courtroom – it’s not the close of the struggle. We all have to adhere to our roles and resist. It is time to discuss up for Hong Kong more actively.”

Antony Tsang, 26-calendar year outdated Hong Kong resident, works in a financial institution:

“I assume it is expected. At the starting of the year, the national protection legislation has been enforced, I feel there could be just much more and additional circumstances like this.”

Alex Choy, 33-year aged Hong Kong resident, will work in finance:

“Really, (I am) fairly let down with what the government did. There is no far more freedom of speech right now. It’s acquiring even worse in Hong Kong’s present predicament.”

Sunny Cheung, professional-democracy activist:

“Whenever you come to feel the motion is shedding momentum and vigour, I consider (Joshua) is the a person who normally has the religion in Hongkongers. And now, he is detained, this is a huge decline to the civil society.”

“It also denotes a truth that Hong Kong is now entering a new stage if not a darkish time which necessitates strategic adjustment in buy to go on the struggle for democracy.”

“The situation…exemplifies the court attempts to enforce a great deal stringent legal regular to prosecute protesters.”

Ming Lam, programme supervisor, Amnesty International Hong Kong:

“With the (countrywide) safety legislation in the history, we are concerned that the nationwide protection legislation will be utilised as a pretext to ban assemblies, tranquil assemblies, and processions, and as a result to stifle Hong Kong’s people’s proper of liberty of expression.”

“I assume that a ton of the prosecutions that we have witnessed at any time because very last yr have been politically determined.”

“Arresting leaders of the social actions, so to discuss in buy to even more stifle and shrink people’s rights of independence of expression, in get to even further crack down on the social movement and (the) dissenting voices of Hong Kong folks.”

There was no quick reaction from Beijing or Hong Kong authorities on the sentencing.