In a major court decision this november‚ hong kongʼs legal system put 45 pro-democracy figures in jail with long-term sentences. The group which includes Jimmy Lai and Joshua Wong got prison-terms from 4 years to a whole decade (showing how the city-state handles political cases now)
The non-violent nature of their actions didnt affect the courtʼs strict approach; all defendants got at-least 4 years and 2 months behind bars. The ruling shows deep changes in the territoryʼs legal system — its become a tool for controlling opposition since the big street protests back in 2019
The local authorities keep pushing against people they think led the resistance: targeting well-known democracy supporters with harsh punishment. This move affects many respected community leaders who spoke up for democratic values in past years; some facing decade-long separation from society