Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai was jailed for 12 months on Friday over one of the city's biggest protests.
It is the first time the 73-year-old – who is in custody after his arrest under Beijing's sweeping national security law – has received a sentence for his activism.
Hong Kong's District Court Judge Amanda Woodcock gave Lai a 15-month sentence, reduced by three months in mitigation.
Alongside Lai, four other accused received immediate jail terms of eight to 18 months for organising and knowingly participating in the peaceful protest on August 18, 2019, which called for democracy and greater police accountability.
Four other defendants received suspended sentences, including respected barrister Martin Lee, 82, known as the "father of democracy" in Hong Kong.
Mr Lee helped to launch the city's largest opposition Democratic Party in the 1990s. He was given a suspended sentence of 11 months.
Shortly before sentencing, prosecutors filed two additional charges against Lai – a count of conspiring to collude with foreign forces and conspiring to obstruct the course of justice.
The imprisonment of Lai is the latest blow to the city's flagging democracy movement, amid a crackdown by Beijing and the Hong Kong authorities on dissent in the semi-autonomous Chinese territory.
Beijing pledged to allow Hong Kong to retain civil liberties not permitted in mainland China for 50 years after the former British colony reverted to Chinese rule in 1997.
But it recently brought in measures, including national security legislation and electoral reforms, that many fear are a step closer to making Hong Kong no different from cities on the mainland.
Under the new rules, Hong Kong residents can be held legally liable for any speech opposing China’s government and the ruling Communist Party or perceived collusion with hostile foreign political groups or individuals.
Electoral changes mean just 20 of 90 Legislative Council members will be directly elected and Beijing will retain even tighter control over the body that chooses Hong Kong's future chief executives.
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Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
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Anthony Martial 30'
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THE BIO: Martin Van Almsick
Hometown: Cologne, Germany
Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)
Favourite dessert: Umm Ali with dark camel milk chocolate flakes
Favourite hobby: Football
Breakfast routine: a tall glass of camel milk
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Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
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Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
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What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
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CHINESE GRAND PRIX STARTING GRID
1st row
Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari)
Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari)
2nd row
Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes-GP)
Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP)
3rd row
Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing)
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4th row
Nico Hulkenberg (Renault)
Sergio Perez (Force India)
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Carlos Sainz Jr (Renault)
Romain Grosjean (Haas)
6th row
Kevin Magnussen (Haas)
Esteban Ocon (Force India)
7th row
Fernando Alonso (McLaren)
Stoffel Vandoorne (McLaren)
8th row
Brendon Hartley (Toro Rosso)
Sergey Sirotkin (Williams)
9th row
Pierre Gasly (Toro Rosso)
Lance Stroll (Williams)
10th row
Charles Leclerc (Sauber)
arcus Ericsson (Sauber)
