Condemn the Political Prosecution Trial and Sentencing of HK’s 47 Activists

The Vancouver Society in Support of Democratic Movement (VSSDM) strongly condemns the political prosecution on trial and sentencing of 47 lawmakers and activists in Hong Kong

We call on Canada and the international community to exert diplomatic pressure on the Hong Kong government and its Beijing overlords to immediately drop these politically motivated charges and release all 47 individuals. These courageous Hong Kongers have been prosecuted under the oppressive National Security Law imposed by Beijing. This draconian law serves as a tool of authoritarian control, criminalizing dissent and branding the peaceful pursuit of democracy as “conspiracy to commit subversion.”

The trial is a farce, cloaked in complex legal language to disguise its true intent: the silencing of Hong Kong’s democracy movement. The 47 activists were arrested simply for organizing and participating in primaries for an upcoming Legislative Council election — rights that are protected by Hong Kong’s Basic Law and guaranteed under the internationally recognized Sino-British Joint Declaration.

The outcome of this sham trial was never in question. For those who pleaded guilty, sentences range from four to ten years, with Benny Tai Yiu-Ting receiving the harshest punishment. Those who maintained their innocence have been sentenced to six to seven years in prison. These heavy-handed sentences signify the collapse of Hong Kong’s rule of law — a day of infamy for Hong Kong’s justice system.

We urge Canada and all concerned nations to

1. Invoke the Magnitsky Act to sanction Hong Kong officials complicit in the persecution of pro-democracy activists and lawmakers.

2. Censure the Beijing government for its many gross human rights violations

Canada and the global community must reaffirm their commitment to democracy, human rights, and freedom by standing resolutely with the people of Hong Kong. Silence in the face of such tyranny only emboldens authoritarian regimes.

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Please Join us for a public rally this Saturday, November 23rd (Saturday), at 2pm outside

Chinese Consulate, 3380 Granville St, Vancouver.

VSSDM Organized Rally

“Condemn the Political Prosecution Trial and Sentencing of HK’s 47 Activists”

• Date: November 23 (Saturday)

• Time: 2:00 PM

• Venue: Vancouver Chinese Consulate (3380 Granville St, Vancouver, BC)