Former Hong Kong vigil organizer strives to mark Tiananmen crackdown despite convictions

HONG KONG (AP) — Tang Ngok-kwan continues to personally commemorate the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown in China, despite his fellow activists facing prison time and the annual vigil he helped organize disappearing. The 58-year-old Hong Kong resident makes an effort to visit sites where the commemoration once took place, such as Victoria Park and two university campuses.

Two former colleagues of Tang were convicted this week under a national security law, with a potential maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. Their vigil group was also found guilty of inciting others to overthrow China's Communist Party leadership. The convictions reflect a perceived decline in freedoms in Hong Kong, which returned to Chinese rule in 1997.

Tang expressed his disappointment with the verdict, stating he felt wronged on behalf of those convicted. The alliance, which he was part of, disbanded after its chair and vice-chairs were charged under the security law in 2021. Tang ran 35 laps barefoot to remember the 35th anniversary of the crackdown. The group's legal battle continues, with the trial for Lee and Chow beginning in January and Tang attending the proceedings.