Five Hong Kong speech therapists were found guilty on Wednesday of a conspiracy to publish seditious children's books that were deemed anti-government, a decision denounced by rights campaigners as a blow to free speech in the China-ruled city.
The five were accused of publishing three picture books, featuring cartoons of sheep and wolves, which government prosecutors alleged had spread separatism and stirred up hatred and opposition to the government.
Lorie Lai, Melody Yeung, Sidney Ng, Samuel Chan and Marco Fong, whose ages are between 25 and 28, had pleaded not guilty and chose not to testify nor summon any witnesses. They will be sentenced on Saturday.