Hong Kong's Tiananmen vigils organisers convicted in national security case

A Hong Kong court has convicted two activists for inciting subversion after they organized annual vigils to commemorate China's 1989 Tiananmen crackdown. Lee Cheuk-yan, 69, and Chow Hang-tung, 41, were found guilty of inciting others to "organise, plan, commit or participate in acts by unlawful means" with the intention of subverting state power.

The three-judge panel ruled that their actions constituted acts of overthrowing or undermining China's constitutional system. Both defendants face a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, with sentencing to be determined later. Hong Kong and Macau were the only places on Chinese territory where public vigils were allowed to mourn the victims of the 1989 protests until Beijing implemented a national security law in 2020.

The two leaders, who were leaders of the now-defunct Hong Kong Alliance, are the first defendants to be convicted under the new law. Prosecutors argued that their remarks were not mere expressions of opinion, but were intended to incite unlawful acts. A third defendant, Albert Ho, a former lawmaker, pleaded guilty in January. Chow expressed disappointment in her blog post, stating that justice lies in the hearts of the people and that a single verdict carries little consequence.

She also noted that prison conditions have changed since the trial began, with her being fully restrained and led on a metal chain.