In a landmark case in Hong Kong, 45 defendants were sentenced on Tuesday (19th) at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts (acting as the High Court) for conspiring to subvert state power. By 6 AM, over 200 people were queuing for public gallery seats, including Lee Yue-shun, who was acquitted and attended the hearing. Around 8 AM, members of the League of Social Democrats, including Raphael Wong Ho-ming, Dickson Chau, and Tsang Kin-shing, were temporarily detained by the police for questioning.

This case is the first of its kind in Hong Kong, involving charges of subversion of state power, with sentencing tiers set for “principal offenders,” “active participants,” and “other participants,” including minimum sentences of 10 years and 3 years, respectively. Some defendants were able to reduce their sentences by pleading guilty and serving as witnesses for the prosecution. They have been detained for periods ranging from 70 days to over 3 years and 8 months, and the duration of their remaining sentences is a focus of public attention.

[D1]	Benny TAI Yiu-ting (戴耀廷)	10 years
[D2]	AU Nok-hin (區諾軒)	6 years and 9 months
[D3]	CHIU Ka-yin Andrew (趙家賢)	7 years
[D4]	CHUNG Kam-lun (鍾錦麟)	6 years and 1 month
[D5]	NG Gordon Ching-hang (吳政亨)	7 years and 3 months
[D6]	YUEN Ka-wai Tiffany (袁嘉蔚)	4 years and 3 months
[D7]	LEUNG Fong-wai Fergus (梁晃維)	4 years and 11 months
[D8]	CHENG Tat-hung (鄭達鴻)	6 years and 6 months
[D9]	CHUI Chi-kin (徐子見)	4 years and 2 months
[D10]	YEUNG Suet-ying Clarisse (楊雪盈)	6 years and 6 months
[D11]	PANG Cheuk-kei (彭卓棋)	6 years and 6 months
[D12]	SHAM Tsz-kit (岑子杰)	4 years and 3 months
[D13]	MO Man-ching Claudia (毛孟靜)	4 years and 2 months
[D14]	HO Kai-ming Kalvin (何啟明)	6 years and 7 months
[D15]	FUNG Tat-Chun Frankie (馮達浚)	4 years and 5 months
[D17]	WONG Pik-wan (黃碧雲)	6 years and 6 months
[D18]	LAU Chak-fung (劉澤鋒)	4 years and 5 months
[D19]	WONG Chi-fung (黃之鋒)	4 years and 8 months
[D20]	TAM Man-ho Jeremy Jansen (譚文豪)	4 years and 2 months
[D21]	LI Ka-tat (李嘉達)	4 years and 3 months
[D22]	TAM Tak-chi (譚得志)	4 years and 5 months
[D23]	WU Chi-wai (胡志偉)	4 years and 5 months
[D24]	SZE Tak-loy (施德來)	6 years and 7 months
[D25]	CHU Hoi-dick Eddie (朱凱迪)	4 years and 5 months
[D26]	CHEUNG Ho-sum (張可森)	4 years and 11 months
[D27]	WONG Ji-yuet (黃子悅)	4 years and 5 months
[D28]	NG Kin-wai (伍健偉)	5 years and 7 months
[D29]	WAN Siu-kin Andrew (尹兆堅)	4 years and 8 months
[D30]	KWOK Ka-ki (郭家麒)	4 years and 2 months
[D31]	NG Man-yee Carol (吳敏兒)	4 years and 5 months
[D32]	TAM Hoi-pong (譚凱邦)	4 years and 3 months
[D33]	HO Kwai-lam (何桂藍)	7 years
[D34]	LAU Wing-hong (劉穎匡)	4 years and 5 months
[D35]	YEUNG Alvin Ngok-kiu (楊岳橋)	5 years and 1 month
[D36]	CHAN Chi-chuen Raymond (陳志全)	6 years and 6 months
[D37]	CHOW Ka-shing (鄒家成)	7 years and 9 months
[D38]	LAM Cheuk-ting (林卓廷)	6 years and 9 months
[D39]	FAN Gary Kwok-wai (范國威)	4 years and 2 months
[D40]	LUI Chi-hang Hendrick (呂智恆)	4 years and 3 months
[D41]	LEUNG Kwok-hung (梁國雄)	6 years and 9 months
[D42]	LAM King-nam (林景楠)	5 years and 2 months
[D43]	OR Yiu-lam Ricky (柯耀林)	6 years and 7 months
[D44]	SHUM Lester (岑敖輝)	4 years and 6 months
[D45]	WONG Pak-yu (王百羽)	4 years  and 3 months
[D47]	YU Wai-ming Winnie (余慧明)	6 years and 9 months

10:13 Male Defendant Enters Court, Benny Tai Makes OK Gesture

Gordon Ng Ching-hang wears a black suit and white shirt; Fergus Leung Fong-wai wears an Arsenal football jersey; Benny Tai waves to the public gallery and makes an OK gesture.

10:07 Group of Male Defendants Begin Entering Court

Owen Chow Ka-shing (wearing a short-sleeved shirt), Ventus Lau Wing-hong (in a black suit jacket), Chui Chi-kin (in a white sweater, with short, graying hair), Eddie Chu Hoi-dick (smiling and looking at the gallery), Ricky Or Yiu-lam, Raymond Chan Chi-chuen, Kinda Li Ka-tat, Lam Cheuk-ting, Kwok Ka-ki, Roy Tam Hoi-pong (hand on forehead, peering motion), Ricky Or Yiu-lam stands to view the gallery.

10:02 Group of Female Defendants Begin Entering Court

At the scheduled court start time of 10:00 AM, a group of female defendants began entering the court. The first to step out were Prince Wong Ji-yuet (in a white sweater and a brown suit jacket), Tiffany Yuen Ka-wai (in a red polo shirt), and Helena Wong Pik-wan with completely white hair. Carol Ng Man-yee and Claudia Mo appeared significantly thinner. Winnie Yu Wai-ming was holding documents, Gwyneth Ho Kwai-lam was dressed in a peach trench coat and a white T-shirt. Clarisse Yeung Suet-ying’s cheeks also appeared much thinner.

Tiffany Yuen Ka-wai had her hair up in a bun, Wong Bik-wan squatted and stood up to peer towards the lawyer’s bench, Clarisse Yeung Suet-ying conversed with a lawyer, and Claudia Mo held up a paper towards the gallery.

09:56 Emily Lau Hopes Defendants Can Reunite with Families Soon

Former Chairperson of the Democratic Party, Emily Lau, and former Legislative Council member for the accounting sector, Kenneth Leung, arrived around 9:30 AM to line up. Emily Lau expressed her distress, saying, “Today is a tough day because our friends and party members have been incarcerated for so many years.” She stated that she would not speculate on today’s sentencing but hoped the court would send an uplifting message to the people of Hong Kong, allowing the defendants to reunite with their families soon. She also expressed hope that the sentencing would show the international community that, as often stated, Hong Kong is “turning a new chapter.”

Kenneth Leung commented that attending court hearings is every Hong Kong citizen’s civic right. He attended today’s session concerned about his former Legislative Council colleagues. He mentioned staying in Hong Kong over the past few years, stating, “No matter how Hong Kong changes, I want to stay close to the pulse of the people and feel their sentiments,” and hoped that “the judicial system could function effectively and deliver fair judgments.”

09:50 Defense Lawyers in Position

Inside the courtroom, the barristers’ seats are nearly filled, including senior counsel Stewart K. M. Wong representing Benny Tai, and Nigel Kat representing Tiffany Yuen Ka-wai and Frankie Fung Tat-chun, among others. Correctional officers have also entered the dock, placing headphones on each seat.

09:45 Mike Lam Enters the Courtroom

One of the defendants, Mike Lam, wearing a blue mask, entered the courtroom and stood by the barristers’ area near the dock, waiting to proceed. During this time, he had his hands clasped in front of him and occasionally looked towards the press section. The press seats are now fully occupied, and family members and the public are gradually entering the courtroom, including Benny Tai’s wife and Cardinal Joseph Zen.

09:41 Figo Chan Ho-wun Urges Reflection on the Social Message Sent by Sentencing

Former convenor of the Civil Human Rights Front, Figo Chan Ho-wun, arrived to queue at the courthouse. In response to questions, he acknowledged the long wait and the likelihood of not getting into the courtroom but chose to queue anyway. He mentioned that both the 2 million people who participated in the anti-extradition law movement and the 600,000 who voted in the primaries are ‘part of’ this case, hence his desire to ‘walk with’ the defendants and ‘witness history.’

Chan expressed pessimism about the case, understanding that the sentencing would not be lenient, but believed that regardless of the sentence’s length, it represents a form of relief for the defendants and their families. He also stated he does not see the trial as fair or just, but emphasized that the government, the courts, and citizens need to reflect on what message this sentencing sends to society and the international community, especially as many Hong Kongers have emigrated in recent years. “I think society has had enough; everyone needs to think about where Hong Kong is headed,” he said.

09:27 Ventus Lau’s Girlfriend Arrives at Court

Ventus Lau’s girlfriend, Emilia Wong, arrived at the courthouse. In response to questions from reporters, she said she is facing the sentencing with equanimity, not letting her emotions get ahead of her, “Being too emotional is not good for oneself.” She also mentioned that she is not surprised by the outcome, “Actually, it’s beyond our control.” Wong also stated that depending on the length of the sentence, they will decide whether to appeal.

09:15 Cardinal Joseph Zen Arrives at Court

On Tuesday (19th), during the sentencing for the case involving 47 individuals, at around 9:15 AM, Cardinal Joseph Zen, the retired Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong, arrived at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts, accompanied by former Legislative Council member Cyd Ho Sau-lan.

09:05 Margaret Ng Arrives at Court

Barrister Margaret Ng arrived at the court and subsequently entered the security screening area.

09:00 Defendants’ Families Arrive at Court Continuously

Families of the defendants are arriving at the court. A relative of Andrew Wan Siu-kin commented on the upcoming sentencing, saying, “It’s better to have a sentence, better than waiting in vain.” She also revealed that she visited Wan recently, noting that he was calm, and she would “pray for him.”

08:39 Steve Li Kwai-wah Enters Court Security Check Area

Steve Li Kwai-wah, the Chief Superintendent of the National Security Department of the Police, enters the court security check area.

08:30 Consular Representatives from Multiple Countries Line Up to Observe

Consular staff from multiple countries stationed in Hong Kong, including Germany, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Italy, and France, line up to observe the proceedings. A spokesperson from the European Union Office in Hong Kong stated that EU member countries are monitoring the impact of the National Security Law and other local Hong Kong legislation on pro-democracy figures in Hong Kong, and they continue to follow this case closely.

08:00 Raphael Wong Ho-ming, Dickson Chau, and “Bull” Tsang Kin-shing Temporarily Detained for Inspection

Around 50 police officers were stationed outside the entrance of the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts, subsequently allowing queued individuals to enter the court premises. Police were also positioned along the queue for the public gallery, intermittently stopping and inspecting citizens, and instructing reporters not to linger on the road. Raphael Wong Ho-ming, former chairman of the League of Social Democrats (LSD), Dickson Chau, vice-chairman of LSD’s external affairs, and LSD member “Bull” Tsang Kin-shing were temporarily taken away by police for inspection during their wait in line, but were later returned to the queue.

Raphael Wong Ho-ming arrived early this morning to queue for a seat in the public gallery. He viewed today’s sentencing as a “light at the end of the tunnel” for the defendants, noting that it would finally define the release dates on their prisoner IDs. Wong expressed uncertainty about today’s sentencing outcomes, contemplating both lighter and potentially severe sentences, and hoped that some individuals, especially older or ill defendants with young families, might be released today.

Raphael Wong Ho-ming described attending the court as a form of “alternative participation” for everyone who had been involved in the movements, not just to witness a significant political and judicial event in Hong Kong but also to stand in solidarity with the “comrades” and political prisoners.

Dickson Chau, who arrived around 11 PM to queue, expressed his intention to lend minimal support, “Even if I can’t enter the courtroom, having been present at the start of the trial and during their first appearance, I want to witness it through to the very end, regardless of the outcome, to show support for all pro-democracy leaders, candidates, and organizers.”

Chau shared that the past three-plus years have been agonizing and heart-wrenching. Initially taking over as spokesperson for the LSD with the hope of supporting the defendants until their release, he has a decade of experience in protests outside courts and now senses a tightening of restrictions on demonstrations, a change he reluctantly accepts, wishing everyone safety during this period.

06:00 Over 200 People Queue for Public Gallery; Lee Yue-shun: Attending to Witness Case Progress

Lee Yue-shun, who was acquitted in the same case, arrived at the court at 4 AM to queue, stating, “Whether it’s in the main courtroom or not, I think the most important thing is to stay informed about the most immediate details of the case. The main purpose of being here is to personally witness how the case unfolds and what the upcoming judgment will be like.” Lee Yue-shun also mentioned that the outcome of the case represents the direction society is heading, hoping that more people will actively engage with the case.

By 6 AM, the queue had grown to nearly 200 people, starting to ‘snake’ around, with police officers on site to maintain order. A group of middle-aged women came together. Some attendees shouted “money-grabbers should die,” and a woman, labeled as part of the ‘queue party,’ expressed her discomfort at being surrounded and voiced concerns about her personal safety to the police, who urged people to return to their places.

The Whitness