In a landmark verdict, a Hong Kong court convicted 14 individuals of conspiring to subvert state power, while 31 others pleaded guilty earlier. The group’s plot—dubbed a \"squalid attempt\" by legal experts—aimed to paralyze the city’s governance by blocking budgets and forcing leadership resignations. Sentencing begins June 25. ⚖️
The defendants organized a sham \"primary\" election to infiltrate the Legislative Council, planning to reject key funding requests and trigger a constitutional crisis. Their goal? To provoke conflict between the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and China’s central government. 🛑
Analysts say the 2019 unrest laid the groundwork for this scheme, which unraveled after China enacted the national security law for Hong Kong. The law, described as a \"game-changer,\" blocked what prosecutors called a foreign-backed effort to undermine \"One Country, Two Systems.\" 🇨🇳🇭🇰
While some critics claim political motives, officials stress the ruling reaffirms the city’s legal safeguards against threats to stability. As one expert noted: \"Justice isn’t just done—it’s seen to be done.\"
