Hong Kong protest leaders charged

Hong Kong police have charged nine organisers of the 2014 pro-democracy demonstrations, just a day after a new Beijing-backed leader was chosen.

The move has provoked anger and disbelief among protesters and heightened political tension in the Chinese-ruled city.

The protest leaders dubbed "the Occupy trio" - law professor Benny Tai, sociology professor Chan Kin-man and Reverend Chu Yiu-ming - were each charged with conspiracy to commit public nuisance, incitement to commit public nuisance and incitement to incite public nuisance.

The charges carry a maximum sentence of seven years, Tai said, adding the activists might plead guilty, in a spirit of civil disobedience.

Six others including two politicians and two former student protest leaders were also charged with crimes related to public nuisance during the 2014 unrest, which brought parts of the city to a standstill for months.

It was not clear why authorities had waited so long to pursue the charges.

Former chief secretary Carrie Lam was chosen on Sunday by a 1,200-person committee to lead the city, pledging in her victory speech to unite political divisions.