Two Hong Kong activists, Chow Hang-tung and Lee Cheuk-yan, have been found guilty of inciting subversion under the national security law for organizing Tiananmen vigils. They face up to 10 years in jail, a verdict seen as a further erosion of freedoms in the city.
The convictions underscore the ongoing erosion of freedoms in Hong Kong and the government's commitment to suppressing dissent, particularly concerning historical events critical of Beijing.
Two key organizers behind Hong Kong's annual Tiananmen Square massacre vigils, Chow Hang-tung and Lee Cheuk-yan, have been found guilty of inciting subversion under the national security law. The verdict was delivered by a Hong Kong court on Friday.
Chow, a human rights lawyer who conducted her own defense, and former opposition lawmaker Lee Cheuk-yan face a potential jail term of up to 10 years. A third activist, veteran pro-democracy lawmaker Albert Ho, had previously pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing. The convictions are linked to their leadership roles in the now-defunct Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, the group responsible for organizing the large-scale public commemoration until 2019.
The ruling is the latest development in a broader crackdown on dissent in Hong Kong following the imposition of the national security law by Beijing in 2020. Critics and human rights groups argue that these laws have significantly curtailed freedoms and silenced opposition, while the Hong Kong government maintains they are necessary for safeguarding national security and restoring order. The erasure of the Tiananmen vigil, once a prominent symbol of Hong Kong's unique freedoms, is seen as a visible manifestation of this transformation.