Hong Kong pro-democracy activists in court

Hong Kong pro-democracy activists including businessman Jimmy Lai, former lawmakers Martin Lee and Lee Cheuk Yan appeared in court Friday on charges of participating in and organizing anti-government protests last year.

They were part of a number of high-profile demonstrators arrested this April in a heavy official crackdown on the movement.

The move was widely criticised in the West and by human rights activists, but the Hong Kong government has insisted the arrests were lawful.