Hong Kong convicts activists in national security trial
The two pro-democracy Tiananmen activists were found guilty of inciting subversion. The high profile case has been widely criticized for highlighting the deterioration of freedom of expression.
A Hong Kong court convicted two pro-democracy activists for inciting subversion under Beijing's national security law, marking the 32nd anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown. Lee Cheuk-yan, 69, and Chow Hang-tung, 41, organized candlelight vigils to remember the 1989 protests, where Chinese troops killed hundreds. Charged in 2021, both pleaded not guilty, facing up to 10 years in prison.
Germany and France expressed regret for the verdict, calling for Chow's immediate release and emphasizing that peaceful advocacy does not constitute a crime. Taiwan also urged China to cease political persecution, with the Mainland Affairs Council expressing deep sorrow and demanding the detainees' immediate release. Hong Kong judicial officials claimed the pair incited unlawful actions aimed at subverting state power, arguing their public commemorations endangered national security in the name of human rights.
The controversial law, imposed after 2019's pro-democracy protests, effectively bans public remembrance of the Tiananmen crackdown.
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