The erosion of political freedoms in Hong Kong will come under the spotlight this week with key developments in two high-profile national security trials.

On Wednesday, jailed tycoon and pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai will testify in his collusion trial, breaking the silence he has kept over five previous trials and almost four years in jail. He will take the stand the day after the sentencing of 45 pro-democracy politicians and activists for a subversion case triggered by their holding an unofficial election primary. Both cases could carry sentences of up to life in prison.

Western countries and international rights groups have condemned the two trials as evidence of Hong Kong’s increased authoritarianism since Beijing imposed a national security law on the city in 2020.

“These are two cases that epitomise the collapse of human rights in Hong Kong since (then),” Amnesty International’s China Director Sarah Brooks told AFP.

But China and Hong Kong say the law has restored order after the city was rocked by massive, sometimes violent pro-democracy protests in 2019, and have warned against “interference” from other countries.