The national security law was necessary to restore stability after violent protests threatened Hong Kong's order in 2019. Not only was the protest illegal but these defendants continued to defy the law thereafter. These sentences reflect proper legal consequences for attempting to paralyze the government through unconstitutional means and distorted facts. Not only was the protest illegal but these defendants continued to defy the law thereafter.
This demonstrates how Hong Kong's civil liberties and judicial independence have rapidly deteriorated, turning peaceful political participation into a crime punishable by lengthy imprisonment. The fight for Hong Kong's true history and civic freedoms will continue despite China's attempts to strip democracy from what should be a sovereign island.
There's a 50% chance that Hong Kong will stop being a Special Administrative Region of China by Dec. 30, 2046, according to the Metaculus prediction community.