Pro-democracy protest leaders in Hong Kong escape prison.
Three Hong Kong student leaders who helped orchestrate massive pro-democracy street protests in the financial hub in 2014 were spared prison sentences on Monday but will be required to perform community service; activists stormed a fenced-off area in front of government headquarters called "Civic Square" to stage the occupation in September 2014; the action created an all-night standoff with police and was seen as a key catalyst for the "Umbrella Movement," which blocked major streets in the Chinese-ruled city for 79 days demanding full democracy.
Reuters Three Hong Kong student leaders who helped orchestrate large pro-democracy street protests in the financial hub in 2014 were spared prison sentences on Monday, but will be required to perform community service.
Activist Joshua Wong, 19, will have to perform 80 hours of community service for illegal assembly, as he and others invaded a fenced-off area in front of the government headquarters called "Civic Square" to carry out the occupation in September 2014.
The act created a standoff with the police that lasted all night and was seen as a key catalyst for the "Umbrella Movement," which blocked major streets in the Chinese-ruled city for 79 days demanding full democracy and represented one of the biggest political challenges in decades for the leaders of the Chinese Communist Party.
Two other student leaders were also convicted. Alex Chow, 25, received a three-week prison sentence, but obtained a temporary suspension due to a degree in the United Kingdom.
Nathan Law, 23, found guilty of the most serious charge of inciting others to hold unlawful assemblies, will have to perform 120 hours of community service.
"The court believes that the three defendants are expressing their opinions and demands genuinely due to their political beliefs or their concern for society," said District Judge June Cheung. "Their aim and motive are not in their own self-interest or to harm other people."
Hong Kong, a former British colony, was returned to China in 1997 under an agreement that gave Beijing ultimate control, but with the promise of granting the territory a high degree of autonomy.
But Beijing's refusal to grant full democracy has exacerbated recent tensions, and calls for separation from China have been growing.
Speaking outside the courthouse and next to signs calling for "democracy and self-determination," Chow said the judge's statement brought a "timely warning" to authorities at a time when more people are mobilizing for independence from China.
"The authorities should reflect on why so many people are considering these options. What is the motivation, the position, and the reasons behind them?"
An upcoming legislative election, contested by Law and other young activists seeking to enter the political arena for the first time, is likely to further expose tensions in the city of 7,2 million inhabitants.