Hong Kong Court Rejects Appeals, Keeps 12 Activists in Prison in Subversion Case

Police stand guard outside the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts as 12 pro-democracy activists appeal their convictions and sentences in a landmark national security case, in Hong Kong on Feb. 23, 2026. Jessie Pang/ReutersA Hong Kong court on Monday upheld the prison sentences and convictions of 12 pro-democracy activists, rejecting their appeals in a national security case that has drawn international attention as freedoms in the city continue to erode.The appeal stems from the high-profile “Hong Kong 47” case, in which 47 opposition figures were arrested in 2021 and charged with conspiracy to commit subversion. After lengthy court proceedings, 45 were sentenced to between four and ten years in November 2024, while two others were acquitted. The case drew international criticism from rights groups and from some countries, including the United States, the UK, and Canada.