Hong Kong court convicts two Tiananmen vigil organisers of inciting subversion
The verdict against Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung concludes a national security trial viewed as a critical test for freedom of expression under the city’s new legal framework.
A Hong Kong court has found two former leaders of the now-defunct Hong Kong Alliance guilty of inciting subversion for organising annual candlelit vigils to commemorate the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown. The verdict, handed down on Friday, marks the conclusion of a closely watched national security case that observers have described as a bellwether for the state of freedom of expression in the city.
Lee Cheuk-yan, 69, and Chow Hang-tung, 41, were convicted of incitement to subversion for their roles in the Alliance. A third defendant, Albert Ho, a former leader of the Democratic Party, had previously pleaded guilty to the charges in January. The case is significant not only for the individuals involved but for the broader implications it holds for political dissent under the national security law imposed on Hong Kong in 2020.
Chow Hang-tung, a Cambridge-educated lawyer, represented herself at the trial. She argued that the Alliance’s primary objective was to seek justice for the victims of the 1989 crackdown, a moral duty she contended should not be classified as a crime. During her closing submissions, she cited Nobel Peace Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo, asserting that the group opposed one-party rule rather than specific individuals. Chow, who has been jailed since 2021 and has undertaken a hunger strike every June to mark the anniversary, stated that the group’s goal was to end one-party dictatorship and bring about a democratic transition.
Lee Cheuk-yan, who has been active in Hong Kong’s labour movement since the 1970s, testified that he witnessed the 1989 crackdown firsthand. He described hearing gunfire and seeing the wounded and dead on Tiananmen Square, an experience he said solidified his lifelong commitment to advancing democracy. Lee told the court that his efforts were driven by a hope for the Communist Party to reform, allowing people to have the rights and happiness they deserve, rather than a desire to eliminate the party’s leadership entirely.
The national security law, enacted following significant protests in 2019, has been the basis for several high-profile prosecutions in recent years. The conviction of Lee and Chow follows the recent guilty verdict and 20-year prison sentence for media mogul Jimmy Lai, further illustrating the reach of the legislation. Sentencing for Lee and Chow is expected to follow the verdict, though a specific date has not yet been confirmed.
The case highlights the tension between the government’s use of national security provisions and the rights of those who organise public commemorations. With the Hong Kong Alliance now defunct, the verdict serves as a definitive legal interpretation of what constitutes subversion in the context of historical memory and political advocacy.
