Hong Kong freedom at stake as leaders of 2014 'Occupy' protests face trial

The nine defendants, who have all pleaded not guilty, face a maximum seven years in jail on each charge

Nine leaders of Hong Kong's 2014 civil disobedience "Occupy Central" movement go on trial on Monday at a time when the Chinese-ruled financial hub's civil liberties are coming under increasing strain.

The nine leaders include law professor Benny Tai, 54, sociologist Chan Kin-man, 59, and Reverend Chu Yiu-ming, 74, who face three charges related to public nuisance, including conspiracy and incitement, during street protests which brought much of the former British colony's Central business district to a halt.

This case could be the most consequential against the pro-democracy movement, with repercussions for hundreds of other protesters who were arrested in 2014 and