Two individuals who previously organized the annual vigil in Hong Kong commemorating the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown were found guilty in a national security case on Friday. Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung, former leaders of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, were charged in 2021 with inciting subversion under the national security law imposed by China. Despite pleading not guilty, they face a potential maximum prison sentence of 10 years. The alliance was also convicted.
The judges determined that the alliance’s call to “end one-party dictatorship” was not a demand for the ruling Communist Party to return to a system of multiparty cooperation under the constitution but rather to cease its leadership under the constitution. They interpreted the term “end” in the phrase as implying “overthrowing” and “undermining.”
The verdict is part of a series of legal actions against Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement, which has significantly diminished under Hong Kong and Chinese authorities. The candlelight vigil organized by the alliance, which used to draw tens of thousands of participants annually to mourn the Tiananmen Square victims, was banned in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic and before the imposition of the security law.
Lee and Chow, upon leaving the courtroom, acknowledged the public gallery with smiles and waves. They are scheduled for sentencing at a later date and are set to appeal for reduced penalties. Observers view their trial as a reflection of diminishing freedom of expression in Hong Kong post its handover to China in 1997.
The judges did not provide detailed reasons for the conviction during the court proceedings but stated that the full judgment would be accessible online at a later time. The trial, initially planned for 75 days, concluded sooner than anticipated after 24 days. One of the defendants, Albert Ho, had pleaded guilty at the beginning of the trial, which could lead to a potential reduced sentence.
Supporters of Lee and Chow cast doubt on the allegations against them, with Lee’s wife expressing disappointment and disagreement with the outcome. The 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown, where hundreds, possibly thousands, lost their lives as military forces intervened, remains a significant moment in China’s history, shaping its trajectory towards economic reform without political liberalization.
The conviction of the organizers has sparked concerns among supporters and former members of the alliance, some of whom question the alignment of the verdict with the city’s legal principles. The series of legal actions and political changes in Hong Kong have led to the dissolution of numerous civil society groups, including the alliance, under the guise of maintaining stability in the city.