Hong Kong’s High Court convicted veteran labour activist Lee Cheuk‑yan, 69, and lawyer Chow Hang‑tung, 41, of inciting subversion, exposing them to a maximum ten‑year prison term. The verdict, delivered Friday, marks one of the most severe applications of the 2020 national security law since its enactment and underscores Beijing’s tightening grip on dissent in the territory.
The trial, which began in January and lasted 24 days, also involved former lawmaker Albert Ho, 74, who pleaded guilty before proceedings. Lee and Chow headed the now‑disbanded Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, the group that organised the city’s annual Tiananmen Square candlelight vigils until authorities banned them in 2020 citing COVID‑19 restrictions.
The convictions have drawn sharp rebukes from Western governments, with France, Germany and the UK urging repeal of the security law and warning that the rulings erode the freedoms guaranteed under the 1984 Sino‑British Joint Declaration, potentially affecting Hong Kong’s reputation as an international financial hub.