The trial proceeded in the High Court with no jury, a departure from the common-law system in Hong Kong. Trials are presided over by judges hand-picked by Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam. The national security law was imposed on semi-autonomous Hong Kong by Beijing last year, following months of anti-government protests by those upset by China's creeping influence over the former British colony. Critics say that the national security law further infringes the freedom Hong Kong was promised it could maintain when it was handed to Chinese control from Britain in 1997. Tong's case is being closely watched for clues on how Hong Kong authorities will handle other national security cases.

Source: CBC News July 20, 2021 11:26 UTC