The Facts

• The defendants, including former lawmakers, activists, and academics, were charged with conspiracy to commit subversion for organizing an unofficial primary election that drew 610,000 voters in July 2020.A Hong Kong court on Tuesday sentenced 45 pro-democracy leaders to prison terms ranging from four years and two months to 10 years under the national security law imposed by Beijing in 2020.

• Legal scholar Benny Tai received the longest sentence of 10 years, while prominent activist Joshua Wong was sentenced to 4 years and 8 months for their roles in the primary election scheme.The defendants, including former lawmakers and academics, were charged with conspiracy to commit subversion for organizing an unofficial primary election that drew 610K voters in July 2020.

• The judges ruled that the defendants' plan to win a legislative majority and repeatedly veto the government's budget would have created a constitutional crisis.Legal scholar Benny Tai received the longest sentence of 10 years, while prominent activist Joshua Wong was sentenced to four years and eight months for their roles in the primary election scheme.