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| Hong Kong Activists Face Trial Over 2014 Pro-Democracy Protests | Hong Kong Activists Face Trial Over 2014 Pro-Democracy Protests |
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| HONG KONG — The leaders of a Hong Kong protest movement pleaded not guilty on Monday to public nuisance charges stemming from the pro-democracy demonstrations that disrupted the city for more than two months in 2014. | HONG KONG — The leaders of a Hong Kong protest movement pleaded not guilty on Monday to public nuisance charges stemming from the pro-democracy demonstrations that disrupted the city for more than two months in 2014. |
| The Occupy movement — founded in March 2013 by the professors Benny Tai and Chan Kin-man and a retired pastor, Chu Yiu-ming — began as a peaceful protest effort that eventually drew tens of thousands of people, paralyzing traffic in Hong Kong. The leaders demanded universal suffrage in the city’s elections, vowing to escalate their civil disobedience until they reached their goals. | The Occupy movement — founded in March 2013 by the professors Benny Tai and Chan Kin-man and a retired pastor, Chu Yiu-ming — began as a peaceful protest effort that eventually drew tens of thousands of people, paralyzing traffic in Hong Kong. The leaders demanded universal suffrage in the city’s elections, vowing to escalate their civil disobedience until they reached their goals. |
| The three men pleaded not guilty on Monday to a charge of conspiracy to commit public nuisance. Six other leaders of the movement also pleaded not guilty to related charges in the case, with the individual offenses carrying maximum sentences of seven years in prison. | The three men pleaded not guilty on Monday to a charge of conspiracy to commit public nuisance. Six other leaders of the movement also pleaded not guilty to related charges in the case, with the individual offenses carrying maximum sentences of seven years in prison. |
| The 2014 protesters were demonstrating against what they said was the city’s undemocratic way of choosing its leaders. Hong Kong’s chief executive is currently selected by hundreds of people picked to represent the city’s various constituencies. Critics of the system say the representatives skew heavily in favor of pro-Beijing candidates who do not represent the popular choice of the people. | The 2014 protesters were demonstrating against what they said was the city’s undemocratic way of choosing its leaders. Hong Kong’s chief executive is currently selected by hundreds of people picked to represent the city’s various constituencies. Critics of the system say the representatives skew heavily in favor of pro-Beijing candidates who do not represent the popular choice of the people. |
| Occupy leaders said the trial would give them an opportunity to present to the public their version of the protests, which also became known as the Umbrella Movement. | Occupy leaders said the trial would give them an opportunity to present to the public their version of the protests, which also became known as the Umbrella Movement. |
| “A movement can be crushed but not defeated,” Mr. Chan said after the trial was adjourned. “They can jail our bodies, but they can never jail our soul.” | “A movement can be crushed but not defeated,” Mr. Chan said after the trial was adjourned. “They can jail our bodies, but they can never jail our soul.” |
| The Occupy movement gained strength when leaders joined forces in 2014 with student strikes for democratic reforms. | |
| The resulting civil disobedience blocked major roadways in Hong Kong’s main business districts for 79 days, and gained popular sympathy when the police used tear gas on peaceful protesters who refused to disperse. But many residents, drivers and business owners grew irritated by the disruptions resulting from the protests. | The resulting civil disobedience blocked major roadways in Hong Kong’s main business districts for 79 days, and gained popular sympathy when the police used tear gas on peaceful protesters who refused to disperse. But many residents, drivers and business owners grew irritated by the disruptions resulting from the protests. |
| More than 900 people were arrested during the protests, 118 of whom have been convicted of various offenses. | More than 900 people were arrested during the protests, 118 of whom have been convicted of various offenses. |
| They include three prominent faces of the student movement, Joshua Wong, Nathan Law and Alex Chow, who spent time in prison last year before their sentences were thrown out by Hong Kong’s highest court on appeal. But in doing so, the judges warned that in the future they would be stricter with offenders charged with incitement who “cross the line of acceptability.” | They include three prominent faces of the student movement, Joshua Wong, Nathan Law and Alex Chow, who spent time in prison last year before their sentences were thrown out by Hong Kong’s highest court on appeal. But in doing so, the judges warned that in the future they would be stricter with offenders charged with incitement who “cross the line of acceptability.” |
| The nine organizers who appeared in court on Monday were not charged until last year. In a report released before the trial began, Amnesty International said such delays created uncertainty for hundreds of other protesters that, combined with the “vague and ambiguous” charges, was having a “chilling effect” on the rights to free expression and peaceful assembly. It asked officials to drop the case against all nine leaders. | The nine organizers who appeared in court on Monday were not charged until last year. In a report released before the trial began, Amnesty International said such delays created uncertainty for hundreds of other protesters that, combined with the “vague and ambiguous” charges, was having a “chilling effect” on the rights to free expression and peaceful assembly. It asked officials to drop the case against all nine leaders. |
| “Amnesty International urges the Hong Kong government to stop using politically motivated prosecutions and other legal procedures against peaceful protesters to silence critical voices and deter people from participation in the public sphere,” the group said. | “Amnesty International urges the Hong Kong government to stop using politically motivated prosecutions and other legal procedures against peaceful protesters to silence critical voices and deter people from participation in the public sphere,” the group said. |
| The start of the trial on Monday drew crowds of supporters and pro-democracy lawmakers chanting slogans and holding yellow posters and umbrellas that evoked the 2014 protests. | The start of the trial on Monday drew crowds of supporters and pro-democracy lawmakers chanting slogans and holding yellow posters and umbrellas that evoked the 2014 protests. |
| It comes at a time of increasing concern in Hong Kong about what some say is mainland China’s growing clampdown on free speech in the city, a former British colony that was returned to Chinese rule in 1997 under a model known as “one country, two systems.” | It comes at a time of increasing concern in Hong Kong about what some say is mainland China’s growing clampdown on free speech in the city, a former British colony that was returned to Chinese rule in 1997 under a model known as “one country, two systems.” |
| This month, a government-funded center for the arts briefly withdrew from two events with Ma Jian, a dissident Chinese novelist whose books are banned in the mainland. Last month, the Hong Kong authorities declined to renew the working visa of Victor Mallet, an editor for The Financial Times, after he hosted a speech by a Hong Kong independence advocate at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club, where Mr. Mallet served as vice president. | This month, a government-funded center for the arts briefly withdrew from two events with Ma Jian, a dissident Chinese novelist whose books are banned in the mainland. Last month, the Hong Kong authorities declined to renew the working visa of Victor Mallet, an editor for The Financial Times, after he hosted a speech by a Hong Kong independence advocate at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club, where Mr. Mallet served as vice president. |