Hong Kong’s West Kowloon Court sentenced two leading figures of the city’s once‑large Tiananmen Square vigil to prison after finding them guilty of inciting subversion. Chow Hang‑tung, a young human‑rights lawyer who defended herself, and former opposition lawmaker Lee Cheuk‑yan each face a possible ten‑year term under the national security law imposed by Beijing in 2020.
Background of the vigil and the law
Since the 1989 crackdown on pro‑democracy protesters in Beijing, Hong Kong hosted an annual candle‑lit vigil in Victoria Park that drew crowds calling for full democracy and an end to one‑party rule in China. The tradition survived the 1997 handover but ended after the 2019 protests and the subsequent introduction of new national security offenses.
Trial details and charges
Prosecutors argued that the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, the group behind the vigil, incited subversion by calling for the removal of China’s one‑party system. They said the alliance’s activities fostered public hatred toward Beijing and sought to topple the Communist Party.
The defense denied any intent to overthrow the government, emphasizing that the alliance promoted peaceful protest and democratic reform without urging illegal action.
Potential penalties and other defendants
Both Chow and Lee have been held in pre‑trial custody since their arrests in late 2021. A third organizer, veteran pro‑democracy lawmaker Albert Ho, previously pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing.
Reactions
Hong Kong officials defended the verdict, stating the national security law protects rights and freedoms while safeguarding order. International human‑rights groups and several Western governments, including the United States, criticized the ruling as further erosion of Hong Kong’s unique freedoms.
Former Tiananmen student leader Zhou Fengsuo, now a U.S. citizen, said the decision shows how dramatically Hong Kong has changed, adding, “Authorities can extinguish the candles in Victoria Park, but they cannot extinguish the memory of June 4.”
Original reporting: KEYT (Ventura/Santa Barbara) — read the source article.
