Hong Kong political activists plead guilty amid crackdown

HONG KONG (AP) — Authorities in Hong Kong say 29 out of 47 pro-democracy activists charged with “conspiracy to commit subversion” under a sweeping National Security Law have pleaded guilty. Thursday’s announcement comes amid a sweeping campaign against those speaking out against demands for absolute loyalty to China’s ruling Communist Party. The 47 democracy activists are charged with conspiracy to commit subversion and were detained last year over their involvement in an unofficial primary election in 2020 that authorities said was a plot to paralyze Hong Kong’s government. Well-known political activists including Joshua Wong are among those who pleaded guilty. Court hearings are to start in September. The pleas were entered earlier but announced Thursday after a reporting ban was lifted.