A group of Hong Kong pro-democracy activists who tried to escape the city by speedboat for sanctuary in Taiwan went on trial in China on Monday. The United States urged the immediate release of the dissidents, saying they had "fled tyranny." Ten of the so-called "Hong Kong 12" were in court in the southern city of Shenzhen to face charges linked to an illegal border crossing. Relatives of the group spoke to the press in Hong Kong as the trial began.