Twelve Hong Kong pro-democracy activists have launched appeals against their subversion convictions under Beijing's national security law, in a closely watched case criticised internationally as politically motivated.

Twelve prominent Hong Kong pro-democracy activists have begun appealing their convictions and prison sentences in a high-profile national security case that has drawn international condemnation and reignited concerns over Beijing’s tightening grip on the city’s civil liberties.

The appellants are among the 47 activists known as the “47 democrats,” charged with conspiracy to commit subversion after participating in an unofficial primary election in July 2020. Authorities claim the vote was part of a deliberate plan to paralyse the Hong Kong government by gaining a legislative majority and indiscriminately vetoing budget proposals—a strategy they say amounted to an attempt to subvert state power under the sweeping national security law imposed by Beijing in 2020.

The appeal hearings, held at the West Kowloon Law Courts, have been met with heightened security. Dozens of uniformed officers, some with police dogs, patrolled the area as around 100 supporters queued for limited public gallery access. Foreign diplomats from more than half a dozen countries were also in attendance, signalling sustained global interest and concern over the case.

Among those appealing their convictions are high-profile opposition figures including Gwyneth Ho, Owen Chow, and Gordon Ng, who were each sentenced to more than seven years in prison. In addition to these appeals, the Hong Kong government is seeking to overturn the acquittal of barrister Lawrence Lau, one of only two defendants found not guilty during the original trial.

Rights organisations have strongly criticised the mass prosecution. Amnesty International’s China Director, Sarah Brooks, described the case as “unprecedented and politically motivated,” urging the courts to use the appeals process to rectify what many view as a misuse of the national security law. Nevertheless, Hong Kong authorities maintain that the defendants were afforded fair trials and stress the continued independence of the judiciary.

The legal saga, which began in early 2021 with dawn raids and mass arrests, underscores the dramatic transformation of Hong Kong’s political landscape since the introduction of the national security law. The legislation has been used to silence opposition voices, shutter independent media outlets, and dissolve civil society groups.

The current round of appeals is expected to last around 10 days. Legal observers say the outcomes will be closely watched as a measure of judicial autonomy in Hong Kong and the extent to which the national security law continues to reshape the city’s legal and political environment.