HONG KONG – A central government office and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government on Friday denounced certain Western politicians for their disparaging remarks against a recent Hong Kong court ruling in a subversion trial.

The Hong Kong High Court on Thursday found 14 out of the 16 defendants guilty of conspiring to subvert State power through a so-called “primary election” held in 2020. The court ruled that the “primary” was intended to form a new Legislative Council that would disrupt the functions of the SAR authorities. This case marked the city’s first subversion trial related to the National Security Law for Hong Kong, enacted on June 30, 2020.

Following the verdict, criticisms were made by overseas political figures and organizations including UK Minister of State for Indo-Pacific Anne-Marie Trevelyan, the Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the US Congressional-Executive Commission on China. The latter even called for “sanctions” against the judges and prosecutors who had carried out their legitimate duty in the case, for what it termed their “political prosecutions”.

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In response, the Commissioner’s Office of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in the HKSAR issued a forceful statement condemning the criticisms as slanders against Hong Kong’s rule of law, democracy and freedom.

The court had meticulously evaluated the legal principles, extensive evidence, and arguments from both sides during the 118 days of the public hearing, said the SAR government

The spokesperson stressed that the so-called “primary” was unlawful and a threat to national security, saying that no country would tolerate such actions.

In support of the court’s independent decision, the spokesperson said judicial processes are fair, open, lawful, justifiable and beyond reproach.

The spokesperson also affirmed the central government’s support for Hong Kong in fulfilling its national security responsibilities, saying that the city’s rule of law status has been recognized by the international community.

“We urge certain countries to abide by the principles of international law and the basic norms governing international relations, abandon hypocrisy and double-dealer behaviors, stop using Hong Kong to curb China, and stop interfering in Hong Kong's affairs and China's internal affairs by any means,” the spokesperson said.

Also on Friday, the Hong Kong SAR government condemned the groundless accusations made by certain organizations, politicians, and media outlets harboring anti-China sentiments, calling for an end to such malicious smears.

A government spokesperson said that the court had meticulously evaluated the legal principles, extensive evidence, and arguments from both sides during the 118 days of the public hearing.

The verdict explicitly stated that the defendants’ objective was to undermine, destroy or overthrow the existing political system and structure of the HKSAR as established under the Basic Law and the “one country, two systems” principle, the spokesperson added.

The spokesperson defended the professionalism of Hong Kong’s law enforcement officers, saying they always take action based on evidence and in accordance with legal standards, regardless of the subject’s political stance, background, or occupation.

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The spokesperson described the threats of “sanctions” proposed by some Western politicians as a despicable political ploy intended to intimidate judges and judicial officers, an attempt to interfere in China's internal affairs, and a violation of international laws and norms.

The Hong Kong SAR does not fear so-called “sanctions” or succumb to acts of intimidation, and will firmly fulfill its responsibility to safeguard national security, the spokesperson added.

The mitigation hearing for the 14 convicted defendants has been scheduled for June 25.

Contact the writer at stephyzhang@chinadailyhk.com