Hong Kong's High Court found pro‑democracy activists Lee Cheuk‑yan and Chow Hang‑tung guilty of incitement to subversion, each facing a maximum ten‑year prison term. The verdict underscores the tightening of Beijing‑imposed national security controls and signals further legal pressure on dissenting voices.
The 69‑year‑old former lawmaker and the 41‑year‑old barrister, leaders of the now‑defunct Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, were charged in 2021 for organising annual Tiananmen Square candlelight vigils, which were banned in 2020. The trial, originally set for 75 days, concluded after 24 days of hearings.
Human‑rights groups say the convictions illustrate the erosion of freedom of expression in Hong Kong, where public commemoration of the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown has been effectively prohibited since the national security law’s enactment. The case adds to concerns about the law’s broad, vague definitions of subversion and its impact on civil society.
Chinese authorities describe the Alliance as a "toxic tumour" and argue the case is not political, focusing on alleged calls to overthrow the Communist Party. In contrast, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch label Lee and Chow prisoners of conscience, criticizing the law’s arbitrary scope and calling for their immediate release.