(The New York Times) – In August, a court in Hong Kong sentenced three young pro-democracy activists to six to eight months in prison, making them what some have called the first political prisoners in the former British colony since its return to Chinese rule two decades ago.
On Tuesday, the city’s highest court said it would hear their appeals. All three — Joshua Wong, 21; Alex Chow, 27; and Nathan Law, 24 — are free on bail pending the outcome of the appeal.
For the young men, the sentences are time lost from studies or budding careers, and a black mark on their futures.
But they are also a burden for their parents, who have endured the anguish of seeing their sons taken away in handcuffs. In rare interviews, they shared the heartbreak and pride of watching their children come of age as leaders of a protest movement for free elections.
They also described grappling with disagreements with their children on career choice and political ideology, highlighting the generation gap that has divided Hong Kong in its struggle to define its future as part of China.
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