HONG KONG -- A total of 715 people so far have been found guilty of charges connected to Hong Kong's mass protests that began two years ago Wednesday, as authorities crack down against dissent under the controversial national security law enacted last year.
More than 1 million had participated in the demonstrations, originally sparked by a proposed bill to allow extraditions from Hong Kong to mainland China. Though the bill has since been withdrawn, distrust in the authorities continues to simmer even as the government claims to have restored order in Hong Kong society.
A total of 10,260 people had been arrested in connection to the protests as of the end of April, and 2,608 were charged with rioting, arson, violence against police and other crimes, according to Hong Kong police.
Hong Kong was once known as the city of protests, with residents frequently taking to the streets thanks to the high degree of autonomy granted to the city under the "one country, two systems" framework. Though unsanctioned protests were still against the law, participants who were caught usually got off with a fine.
But protest-related charges are facing increasingly tough penalties, including jail time, partly in response to the radical, anti-establishment turn taken by the 2019 demonstrations.
As the protests grew, Chinese President Xi Jinping swiftly tightened his grip on the territory through election reforms and a sweeping national security law banning acts of treason, sedition, secession and subversion. So far, 109 people have been arrested under the new law. Many have been denied bail, which is highly unusual under the Hong Kong justice system.
Among those found guilty and serving prison terms include activist Joshua Wong and pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai. Many other prominent figures, like activist Nathan Law and former lawmaker Dennis Kwok, have fled to the U.K. and Canada to escape prosecution.
Hong Kong streets overflow with protesters on June 9, 2019. Over 10,000 have been detained in connection to the demonstrations as of April 2021. (Photo by Takeshi Kihara) The Hong Kong government now bans gatherings of five or more ostensibly to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, essentially making protests all but impossible. It also banned vigils for the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown on Friday for the second year.
"Hong Kong authorities are using COVID-19 as a pretext to muzzle the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly," said Yamini Mishra, Amnesty International's Asia-Pacific Regional director.
Still, public dissatisfaction continues to bubble under the surface. Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam used to enjoy an over 60% approval rating shortly after taking office in 2017, but now faces a lower figure than any of her predecessors, according to the Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institute.
Distrust in the government has impacted its policies, including its fight against the coronavirus. Though Hong Kong began vaccinating residents in February, only about 20% of its population has received a shot -- far below the government's target of 70%. There is concern that some doses could expire before they can be used at the rate things are currently going.
"I don't want to listen to what the government is saying," said a woman in her 60s. "The spread of the virus has slowed, so I'm going to wait and see for a bit more."
A survey conducted from April to May by the Chinese University of Hong Kong found that just 25% of unvaccinated respondents planned to receive a shot within six months. Many said they were concerned about side effects, or did not trust the government's explanations.
Tacit resistance against the government is only expected to continue in Hong Kong as the territory heads toward a legislative election in December and a chief executive race in March. In a poll by one local newspaper, over 60% of pro-democracy respondents said that they planned to cast blank votes.