Hong Kong democracy advocates back in court after 14-hour first day

Defence lawyers struggled to submit bail applications overnight and into early Tuesday, as proceedings resumed against a group of 47 high-profile democracy activists who had already spent 14 hours in the dock the day before.

Local media footage showed Joshua Wong, perhaps the most high-profile defendant, being escorted back to court at around 7:30 am (2330 GMT on Monday). Court then resumed at 11:30 am.

The 47 are charged with conspiring to subvert state power, secession, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces. All are violations of Hong Kong’s controversial national security law, which went into effect last year.

The charges are in relation to an unofficial primary election in July dubbed “Democrat Camp 35+ Primary Election.” The advocates had hoped to pick strong candidates so they could take a majority in the city’s legislature, the Legislative Council, so they could veto legislation.

“The arduous 14 hour hearing was a joke and a testament to the prosecution’s lack of preparation and absurd attempt to lock [the 47] up with no real legal basis,” Avery Ng, vice chair of League of Social Democrats (LSD), two members of which, Jimmy Sham and Leung Kwok-hung, are detained.

The magistrate dealing with the case said he would adjourn no later than 10 pm, after defendants complained they were exhausted by the prolonged proceedings. Decisions on bail are expected at the end of the hearing, according to Radio Television Hong Kong.

Under the new national security law, bail is denied if the court consider the individual a continued national security risk.

Critics say the national security law has been wrongly applied to ordinary political stategy, noting that it is common for political parties to seek legislative majorities.