National security law: surprise U-turn as Hong Kong prosecutors drop challenge to four defendants receiving bail in case involving 47 accused opposition activists
- Four among 15 granted bail by a magistrate late on Thursday after a marathon court session
- Barrister Lawrence Lau, social activists Hendrick Lui and Clarisse Yeung, and Mike Lam, owner of Thai products chain AbouThai, released on Thursday evening
But some defence lawyers took issue with the way in which police and prosecutors had handled the case, accusing them of charging their clients prematurely, while a legal scholar feared hasty moves could result in unnecessary prolonged detention without trial.
The four were the only defendants released among the 47 charged with conspiracy to commit subversion in the city’s biggest national security case to date. They were barrister Lawrence Lau Wai-chung, social activists Hendrick Lui Chi-hang and Clarisse Yeung Suet-ying, and Mike Lam King-nam, owner of Thai-products chain AbouThai. The other 11 granted bail but remanded in custody will appear in court on Saturday.
Prosecutors accused the 47 of plotting to seize control of the city’s legislature by organising a primary last year, with an aim to ultimately paralyse the government and topple the city’s leader.
Upon their release at West Kowloon Court, the four posed individually for photographs amid a media scrum. They were the first defendants to have successfully secured bail since Beijing imposed the law in the city in late June last year.
