Forty-seven Hong Kong democrats and activists were charged on Sunday (February 28) with conspiracy to commit subversion, in the largest single crackdown on the democratic opposition under a China-imposed national security law.

Dozens of leading Hong Kong democrats charged with subversion in major national security crackdown

Pro-democracy parties in Hong Kong held primary polls on Saturday to choose candidates for upcoming legislative elections despite warnings from government officials that it may be in breach of a new security law imposed by China.

Thousands queued in the intense summer heat at unofficial polling stations across the city hours after police raided an opinion pollster helping to conduct the vote.

"The more Hong Kong people were suppressed, the firmer Hong Kong people stand," democracy campaigner Benny Tai, a legal scholar and co-organiser of the primary, said as voting got underway at 250 polling stations.

Organisers said nearly 60,000 people had voted in the first three hours.

"Under the new national security law, no one knows how many pro-democracy candidates would be allowed to run in the upcoming LegCo election. They could possibly be disqualified by the government under the new law," a 34-year-old voter who gave her surname as Poon told AFP near a polling station in Tseung Kwan O distict.

"I treasure every chance we still have to vote for the candidate I like and I hope Hong Kong people can show the government that we won't bend our knees through the poll," she added.

On Thursday, constitutional and mainland affairs minister Erick Tsang warned that those "organising, planning and participating" in the primary might commit offences of succession, subversion and colluding with foreign forces, according to his interviews with a selected few pro-Beijing newspapers.

Beijing&nbsp;imposed the new law on Hong Kong last week targeting acts of subversion, secession, terrorism and foreign collusion with a maximum penalty of life imprisonment, in response to huge and often violent democracy protests that erupted last year.

'No tolerance for dissidents'&nbsp;

The law is the most radical change in Hong Kong's freedoms and autonomy since Britain handed the city back to China in 1997.

Similar national security laws are used to crush dissent on the mainland and police in Hong Kong have already arrested people voicing certain political views now deemed illegal, such as advocating independence or greater autonomy.

Former lawmaker Au Nok-hin and co-organiser of the primary argued that Tsang's remarks were "ungrounded and without any legitimate reasons".

"The suppression (we) faced when organising the primary proves that our government have no tolerance for dissidents, to accept a society with diversity and democratic universal suffrage," Au told media.

Police late Friday night raided the office of Public Opinion Research Institute (PORI), a prominent opinion pollster that was helping the pro-democracy camp to conduct the primary.

Police claimed they were responding to a report that PORI computers had been hacked, resulting in an unlawful leak of personal information.

PORI president Robert Chung said officers copied computer files and he was given a "verbal promise" that they would not use information unrelated to the suspected leak.

The raid raised concerns over the primary but Chung reassured that the voting system was safe and its operation was legal and transparent.

"The primary election is a peaceful, rational and non-violent approach to express public opinion," he said.

Pro-democracy parties in Hong Kong held primary polls on Saturday to choose candidates for upcoming legislative elections despite warnings from government officials that it may be in breach of a new security law imposed by China.

Pro-democracy parties in Hong Kong held primary polls on Saturday to choose candidates for upcoming legislative elections despite warnings from government officials that it may be in breach of a new security law imposed by China. Thousands queued in the intense summer heat at unofficial polling stations across the city hours after police raided an opinion pollster helping to conduct the vote. "The more Hong Kong people were suppressed, the firmer Hong Kong people stand," democracy campaigner Benny Tai, a legal scholar and co-organiser of the primary, said as voting got underway at 250 polling stations. Organisers said nearly 60,000 people had voted in the first three hours. "Under the new national security law, no one knows how many pro-democracy candidates would be allowed to run in the upcoming LegCo election. They could possibly be disqualified by the government under the new law," a 34-year-old voter who gave her surname as Poon told AFP near a polling station in Tseung Kwan O distict. "I treasure every chance we still have to vote for the candidate I like and I hope Hong Kong people can show the government that we won't bend our knees through the poll," she added. On Thursday, constitutional and mainland affairs minister Erick Tsang warned that those "organising, planning and participating" in the primary might commit offences of succession, subversion and colluding with foreign forces, according to his interviews with a selected few pro-Beijing newspapers. Beijing imposed the new law on Hong Kong last week targeting acts of subversion, secession, terrorism and foreign collusion with a maximum penalty of life imprisonment, in response to huge and often violent democracy protests that erupted last year. 'No tolerance for dissidents' The law is the most radical change in Hong Kong's freedoms and autonomy since Britain handed the city back to China in 1997. Similar national security laws are used to crush dissent on the mainland and police in Hong Kong have already arrested people voicing certain political views now deemed illegal, such as advocating independence or greater autonomy. Former lawmaker Au Nok-hin and co-organiser of the primary argued that Tsang's remarks were "ungrounded and without any legitimate reasons". "The suppression (we) faced when organising the primary proves that our government have no tolerance for dissidents, to accept a society with diversity and democratic universal suffrage," Au told media. Police late Friday night raided the office of Public Opinion Research Institute (PORI), a prominent opinion pollster that was helping the pro-democracy camp to conduct the primary. Police claimed they were responding to a report that PORI computers had been hacked, resulting in an unlawful leak of personal information. PORI president Robert Chung said officers copied computer files and he was given a "verbal promise" that they would not use information unrelated to the suspected leak. The raid raised concerns over the primary but Chung reassured that the voting system was safe and its operation was legal and transparent. "The primary election is a peaceful, rational and non-violent approach to express public opinion," he said.

Hong Kong democracts hold primary despite security law warning

Hong Kong's democrats romped to a landslide and symbolic majority in district council elections after residents turned out in record numbers on Sunday to vote following six months of anti-government protests in the embattled city.

Hong Kong's democrats romped to a landslide and symbolic majority in district council elections after residents turned out in record numbers on Sunday to vote following six months of anti-government protests in the embattled city. In a rare weekend lull in the unrest that has rocked the financial hub, democratic candidates across the city of 7.4 million people secured more than half of the 452 district council seats for the first time against a strongly resourced and mobilised pro-establishment opposition. When the results began trickling in after midnight, including upset wins for democrats against heavyweight pro-Beijing opponents, some voting centres erupted in loud cheers and chants of "Liberate Hong Kong. Revolution Now" - a slogan used by many protesters on the streets over the past six months. Some winning candidates said the result was akin to a vote of support for the demonstrators and could raise the heat on Hong Kong's pro-Beijing chief executive, Carrie Lam, amid the city's worst political crisis in decades. "This is the power of democracy. This is a democratic tsunami," said Tommy Cheung, a former student protest leader who won a seat in the Yuen Long district close to China's border. Watch: Pro-democracy parties make major gains × The voting ended with no major disruptions in a day that saw massive, though orderly, queues form outside voting centres. Pro-democracy candidates had secured a clear majority by 8.00 a.m. (midnight GMT Sunday) with 333 of 452 seats, compared with 52 for the pro-establishment camp, according to media estimates. Democrats only secured around 100 seats at the previous polls four years ago. Almost three million people voted, a record turnout of more than 71% that appeared to have been spurred by the turmoil, almost double the number last time. Hong Kong's district councils control some spending and decide a range of livelihood issues such as transport. They also serve as an important grassroots platform to radiate political influence in the China-ruled city. "PATH OF STRUGGLE" "I believe this result is because there are a lot of voters who hope to use this election and their vote to show their support for the (protest) movement, and their five demands, and their dissatisfaction with the Hong Kong government," said former student leader Lester Shum, who won a seat. The protesters' demands include full democracy, as well as an independent inquiry into perceived police brutality. "The district council is just one very important path of struggle. In future, we must find other paths of struggle to keep fighting," Shum said. The state-run China Daily newspaper said in an editorial on Monday the election "will hopefully have served as an opportunity to return the city to normal". "The relative tranquility the city enjoyed since several days before the election suggests all stakeholders regarded it as an opportunity to air their views." Demonstrators are angry at what they see as Chinese meddling in the freedoms promised to the former British colony when it returned to Chinese rule in 1997. They say they are also responding to perceived police brutality. China denies interfering and says it is committed to the "one country, two systems" formula for the autonomy of Hong Kong put in place in 1997. Police say they have shown restraint in the face of potentially deadly attacks. Jimmy Sham, a leader of the Civil Human Rights Front, which organised some of the anti-government rallies, won his electoral contest, as did Kelvin Lam, who stood in after prominent activist Joshua Wong was barred from running. A number of pro-Beijing heavyweights including Junius Ho, whose abrasive public comments have made him a hate-figure among many protesters, lost to pro-democracy challengers. He described it on Facebook as "an exceptional election, and an unusual result". The protests started over a now-withdrawn extradition bill that would have allowed people to be sent to mainland China for trial but rapidly evolved into calls for full democracy, posing the biggest populist challenge to Chinese President Xi Jinping since he came to power in 2012.

Hong Kong democrats romp to local election landslide after months of protests

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Dozens of leading Hong Kong democrats charged with subversion in major national security crackdown

Hong Kong democracts hold primary despite security law warning

Hong Kong democrats romp to local election landslide after months of protests