Hong Kong pro-democracy and LGBTQ+ activist Jimmy Sham freed after over four years

Jimmy Sham, a prominent figure in Hong Kong’s pro-democracy and LGBTQ+ movements, was released from prison on Friday after spending more than four years behind bars in the city’s largest national security case to date, prosecuted under a law imposed by Beijing.Sham gained national attention during the 2019 anti-government protests, when he served as convenor of a now-disbanded pro-democracy group. The organization played a key role in orchestrating some of the year's biggest peaceful demonstrations, including one that reportedly drew an estimated 2 million people.In 2021, Sham was among 47 activists arrested for their involvement in an unofficial primary election. He was later sentenced along with 44 others, after judges ruled that their strategy to bring change through the primary would have “undermined the government's authority” and potentially created “a constitutional crisis.” Just two of the original defendants were acquitted.While incarcerated, Sham continued to advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, challenging the government’s refusal to recognize his overseas same-sex marriage. His efforts led to a landmark ruling by the city’s top court, which declared that the government must provide a framework to acknowledge same-sex partnerships—an important victory for the LGBTQ+ community in Hong Kong.Upon his release, Sham told reporters, "I feel happy. No matter whether there's a change in (my) freedom, I am definitely freer compared to yesterday." He added, "But I also know many people are suffering. This makes me feel I shouldn't be too happy."When asked if authorities had cautioned him about public statements, Sham admitted to self-censoring, saying he avoided certain sensitive topics. He also expressed uncertainty about the durability of his freedom: "Maybe tomorrow, you still can see me, I am free. Maybe tomorrow, I will go back to the jail. I don't know."Sham noted that he currently has no intention of leaving Hong Kong. "So what I can do in the future and what I should, and where the red line lies, I still have to figure it out again."Sham’s release came alongside three other activists—Kinda Li, Roy Tam, and Henry Wong—who, like Sham, were reunited with their families. They are the second group of detainees to be freed, following the earlier release of four former pro-democracy lawmakers. The prolonged separations have been emotionally difficult for both the activists and their families.The case targeted a wide range of pro-democracy advocates, including legal scholar Benny Tai, who was sentenced to 10 years in prison, and former student leader Joshua Wong, who received a sentence of four years and eight months.