Pro-democracy media mogul Jimmy Lai and nine other activists on Monday pleaded guilty in a Hong Kong court to inciting and organizing an unauthorized assembly, expecting to be given more jail terms in one of a string of prosecutions lined up against the city's political opposition.

The group was charged with organizing and inciting the public to join in a march and rally on Oct. 1, 2019, on Hong Kong Island at the height of the monthslong anti-government protests that stemmed from a government-proposed China extradition bill.

Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai (C), founder of Apple Daily, arrives at the Court of Final Appeal in Hong Kong on Feb. 9, 2021.(Kyodo)

The public procession, which coincided with China's National Day, ended peacefully. However, anti-government protests carried on across the harbor in the Kowloon Peninsula turned into violent clashes with police who fired live rounds.

All 10 defendants pleaded guilty to organizing an unauthorized assembly, while four of them -- protest organizer Figo Chan and former lawmakers Lee Cheuk-yan, Leung Kwok-hung and Albert Ho -- also pleaded guilty to a charge of incitement.

Sentencing is scheduled on May 28.

Lai, the founder of the outspoken Apple Daily newspaper, was in April sentenced to 14 months in prison over his involvement in two unauthorized protests in August 2019. It was the first prison term he faces over his role in the territory's anti-government movement.

He also faces additional subversion-related charges of collusion, and fraud. He has been in detention since late last year.

His listed media company, Next Digital Ltd., was suspended from trading Monday following the government's announcement Friday to freeze his company assets.

Former lawmakers Lee Cheuk-yan, Leung Kwok-hung and Cyd Ho are already serving prison time over their roles in the August protests.

"We are very alarmed. We are very sad," former Democratic Party chair Emily Lau told reporters outside court over what she saw as the misuse of the legal system for political suppression. "There could be further arrest, closing down of newspaper, closing down of union. We are very concerned."


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