4 former Hong Kong lawmakers freed after years in prison under a Beijing-imposed security law

HONG KONG (AP) — Four former Hong Kong lawmakers were freed from prison Tuesday after serving more than four years for their convictions under a Beijing-imposed security law that crushed a once-thriving pro-democracy movement.

Claudia Mo, Jeremy Tam, Kwok Ka-ki and Gary Fan were among 47 activists arrested in 2021 for their roles in an unofficial primary election. They were the first of the convicted activists to reunite with their families and friends following years of separation.

Only vehicles involved in the release were seen leaving the three prisons in remote areas of Hong Kong. Security was tight and curtains on the vehicles were closed.

Mo's husband, Philip Bowring, told reporters he was pleased Mo had returned home, saying she was “well and in good spirits." But he said she would not give interviews for the time being. “She has to get used to life again in the outside world,” he said at their door, adding that they probably would go to England to see their grandchildren later.

In a video posted by local online media HK01, Fan thanked Hong Kongers and the media for their concern. He added he was going to reunite with his family.

The 2020 unofficial primary drew 610,000 voters, and its winners had been expected to advance to the official legislative election. Authorities postponed that, however, citing public health risks during the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the trial, prosecutors said the activists aimed to paralyze Hong Kong’s government and force the city’s leader to resign by aiming to win a legislative majority and using it to block government budgets indiscriminately. The judges said in their verdict last year that the activists’ plans to effect change through the unofficial primary would have undermined the government’s authority and created a constitutional crisis.

Only two of the 47 original defendants were acquitted. The remaining activists received prison terms ranging from four years and two months to 10 years on a charge of conspiracy to commit subversion. Mo, Tam, Kwok and Fan pleaded guilty and received reduced sentences.

Their years of separation have pained the activists and their families. The case involved democracy advocates across the spectrum. They include legal scholar Benny Tai, who got a 10-year prison term, and former student leader Joshua Wong, who has to serve four years and eight months.

Fourteen of the convicted activists have appealed, and prosecutors appealed the acquittal of one activist. All of the appeals are pending.

Critics of the court actions brought against the activists said their convictions illustrated how authorities crushed dissent following the massive anti-government protests in 2019, while also cracking down on media freedoms and reducing public choice in elections. They said the drastic political changes reflect the shrinking of the Western-style civil liberties in Hong Kong that Beijing promised to retain in the former British colony for 50 years after the 1997 handover to China.

The Beijing and Hong Kong governments insisted the national security law was necessary for the city’s stability. China defended the judicial decisions, despite criticism from foreign governments.

Vehicle carrying former legislator Claudia Mo out of Lo Wu Correctional Institution, a women's prison early Tuesday, April 29, 2025. The former legislator was imprisoned for taking part in a primary election for pro-democracy politicians in 2020. (AP Photo/Jonathan Lee)

The exterior of Stanley Prison, where former lawmakers Jeremy Tam and Kwok Ka-ki were reportedly released early on Tuesday, April 29, 2025, is pictured in Hong Kong.(AP Photo/Kanis Leung)

The exterior of Stanley Prison is seen after former pro-democracy lawmakers Jeremy Tam and Kwok Ka-ki were released in Hong Kong on Tuesday, April 29 2025. (AP Photo/Kanis Leung)

Police officers stand guard outside the Shek Pik Prison as former pro-democracy lawmaker Gary Fan, was released after four years for his conviction under the national security law in Hong Kong, Tuesday, April 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Chan Long Hei)

Police officers stand guard outside the Shek Pik Prison as former pro-democracy lawmaker Gary Fan, was released after four years for his conviction under the national security law in Hong Kong, Tuesday, April 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Chan Long Hei)

Police officers stand guard outside the Shek Pik Prison as former pro-democracy lawmaker Gary Fan, was released after four years for his conviction under the national security law in Hong Kong, Tuesday, April 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Chan Long Hei)

Vehicles believed to be carrying former pro-democracy lawmaker Gary Fan, who was released after four years for his conviction under the national security law, leaves the Shek Pik Prison in Hong Kong, Tuesday, April 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Chan Long Hei)

Vehicles believed to be carrying former pro-democracy lawmaker Gary Fan, who was released after four years for his conviction under the national security law, leaves the Shek Pik Prison in Hong Kong, Tuesday, April 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Chan Long Hei)

Vehicles believed to be carrying former pro-democracy lawmaker Gary Fan, who was released after four years for his conviction under the national security law, leaves the Shek Pik Prison in Hong Kong, Tuesday, April 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Chan Long Hei)

Police officers stand guard outside the Shek Pik Prison as former pro-democracy lawmaker Gary Fan, was released after four years for his conviction under the national security law in Hong Kong, Tuesday, April 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Chan Long Hei)

Members of media wait outside the Shek Pik Prison as former pro-democracy lawmaker, Gary Fan, was released after four years for his conviction under the national security law in Hong Kong, Tuesday, April 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Chan Long Hei)

Vehicles believed to be carrying former pro-democracy lawmaker Gary Fan, who was released after four years for his conviction under the national security law, leaves the Shek Pik Prison in Hong Kong, Tuesday, April 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Chan Long Hei)

Police officers stand guard outside the Shek Pik Prison as former pro-democracy lawmaker Gary Fan was released after four years for his conviction under the national security law in Hong Kong, Tuesday, April 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Chan Long Hei)

The exterior view of Shek Pik Prison in Hong Kong, Tuesday, April 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Chan Long Hei)

BOSTON (AP) — The Boston Celtics entered this season with hopes of ending the NBA’s six-season drought without a repeat champion.

With a mostly unaltered roster led by All-Stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, they looked like a team poised to do it after romping through the regular season and posting their second straight 60-win season while earning the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference.

But it all thudded to the surface in the postseason, cemented by Boston’s 4-2 conference semifinals loss to a New York Knicks team that it had previously dominated this season. The Celtics are now the sixth consecutive NBA champion to fail to make it out of the second round the following season.

Just as painful as getting dethroned at NBA champions was the devastating ruptured Achilles tendon injury to Tatum late in Game 4, which sidelined him for the final two games of the series. The 27-year-old is now staring at a rehabilitation process that will knock him out for most, if not all, of next season.

It casted a pall not only over the remainder of the New York series but has thrust the Celtics’ future into uncertainty heading into the offseason. That sentiment was clearly on Brown’s mind in the aftermath of their elimination as he tried to offer Boston’s fans some hope.

“This journey is not the end. It’s not the end for me. I look forward to coming back stronger. You just take this with the chin up,” Brown said. “I know, Boston, it looks gloomy right now obviously with JT being out, and us ending the year, but there’s a lot to look forward to. I want the city to feel excited about that. This is not the end.”

But it may not be that simple.

Boston’s payroll this season put it over the salary cap and will make them a luxury-tax team for the third consecutive season. It means they will be hit with a “repeater tax” penalty for being over the cap threshold in three out of four seasons.

With payroll for next season on track to come in around $225 million, next year’s tax bill would be at almost $280 million. The combined potential $500 million total price tag would be a league record.

It is unclear whether the team’s incoming ownership will want to keep paying those hefty penalties to maintain the current roster after agreeing to a purchase in March that is expected to have a final price of a minimum of $6.1 billion.

It could mean belt tightening in some fashion this offseason with 11 players currently under contract.

Tatum signed an NBA-record five-year, $314 million contract last July that will begin next season and pay him $54 million. Brown is playing under a five-year, $304 million deal that kicked in this season. He will make $53 million next season. That is followed by Jrue Holiday ($32 million), Kristaps Porzingis ($30 million), Derrick White ($28 million) and Sam Hauser ($10 million).

Of the top nine rotation players this season, only veteran Al Horford and Luke Kornet are free agents.

But there are concerns beyond the financial ones.

Porzingis’s health will also be in the spotlight after he was hampered throughout the latter part of the regular season and playoffs with a lingering viral illness that sapped him of strength and rendered him a virtual nonfactor against the Knicks.

Though he said he doesn’t think it will be a long-term thing.

“The best thing I need right now is just to rest. Just get somewhere in the sun and just let the rest of my system even itself out,” he said.

One positive sign is that he said he plans to still play for home country Latvia in EuroBasket this summer.

Then there’s Brown, who entered this postseason dealing with a right knee issue but was able to play through it. He has said he's unsure whether it will require surgery this offseason.

Even with that uncertainty, Brown's optimism remains high, although he acknowledged tough times may be ahead.

“Losing to the Knicks feels like death,” he said. “But I was always taught there’s life after death.”

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

Trainers check on Boston Celtics' Jayson Tatum after he was injured during the second half of Game 4 in the Eastern Conference semifinals of the NBA basketball playoffs against the New York Knicks Monday, May 12, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Boston Celtics' Jaylen Brown (7) defends New York Knicks' Jalen Brunson as Kristaps Porzingis watches during the first half of Game 6 in the Eastern Conference semifinals of the NBA basketball playoffs Friday, May 16, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Boston Celtics' Jaylen Brown, third from left, watches with teammates during the second half of Game 6 in the Eastern Conference semifinals of the NBA basketball playoffs against the New York Knicks Friday, May 16, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)