Opposition leaders Jimmy Sham and three others step out of jail in Hong Kong
Forty-seven pro-democracy figures, including Jimmy Sham, former convenor of the Civil Human Rights Front, were released early on Friday following the completion of their sentences in a high-profile national security case. Sham, who served four years and three months in prison, was the second batch of defendants to be freed.
On Lantau Island, Sham was seen leaving Shek Pik Prison under heavy police escort. He was also spotted near his home in Jordan around 6:30 a.m. Upon speaking to local media, Sham expressed hopes to remember those "still suffering" and admitted he needed time to adjust to the "new normal" after four years outside society.
Since early 2021, the 47 defendants were charged in relation to an unofficial primary election held in July 2020. They were accused of conspiracy to commit subversion under the national security law imposed by Beijing in June 2020. Their case, considered the largest and most significant prosecution under Hong Kong’s national security law, has drawn international condemnation as Western governments view the charges as politically motivated and a threat to civil liberties.
The defendants were involved in an unofficial primary election aimed at helping the pro-democracy camp win a majority in Hong Kong’s Legislative Council election. Prosecutors and judges ruled that their plan to veto the government budget and force the resignation of the chief executive constituted a plot to paralyze the government and create a constitutional crisis. All 45 defendants convicted of conspiracy to commit subversion received substantial prison terms, with sentences ranging up to ten years.
Now released, Sham expressed intentions to remember those still suffering and spend time determining the "new normal" after being away for four years. The 47 defendants, including prominent figures like Sham, have received international attention aspolitical figures in Hong Kong.
Sham, upon his release from prison, expressed a desire to remember those who continue to endure, highlighting the ongoing struggle for human rights in society. His release, along with the other 46 defendants, has drawn attention globally, with many viewing their treatment as a threat to general news about politics, war-and-conflicts, and civil liberties in Hong Kong.
