Hong Kong vigil organizer continues remembrance despite convictions

Two former organizers of Hong Kong's annual vigils commemorating the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown were convicted on Friday under a national security law for inciting subversion. Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung, former leaders of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, face a maximum of 10 years in prison. The alliance itself was also found guilty.

Judges ruled that the alliance's call to "end the one-party dictatorship" aimed to undermine the ruling Communist Party's leadership status, which they deemed a violation of the national security law. The court stated the accused intentionally encouraged supporters to await the right moment to achieve this goal through illicit means, asserting that they were not judged for their political opinions.

Lee and Chow acknowledged the verdict with smiles and waves. Sentencing is expected at a later date, with the defense planning to argue for lesser penalties. Observers view the trial as indicative of the erosion of free expression in Hong Kong since the 2020 imposition of the national security law, which has largely dismantled the city's pro-democracy movement. The annual candlelight vigil, once a large-scale public commemoration, was previously banned by authorities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Eric Lai, a senior researcher at the Georgetown Center for Asian Law, noted that the verdict challenges the assumption that operating within the law would offer protection if the objective itself is deemed unconstitutional. During the trial, Lee testified that his call aimed for democracy, not the end of the party's leadership. Chow, in a social media post, described harsh treatment during transport from prison to court. Another co-accused, Albert Hom, pleaded guilty earlier in the proceedings.