Hong Kong court jails two Tiananmen vigil group leaders for 7 years

A Hong Kong court recently handed down sentences of seven years to two pro-democracy activists, Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung, for inciting subversion. The judges emphasized the activists' use of the phrase "end one-party dictatorship" in their political activities. Lee and Chow were part of a group that organized annual vigils commemorating the 1989 Tiananmen Square incident in Beijing.

Such public commemorations were previously legal and celebrated in Hong Kong, representing the city's relative freedoms compared to mainland China. However, the National Security Law, enacted in 2020, effectively outlawed these events. Both activists were in custody since 2021. Lee's wife, Elizabeth Tang, expressed her disappointment and intent to appeal the sentencing, while Chow's mother, Medina Chow, made an emotional plea for support for her son.

The Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, of which Lee and Chow were once chair and vice-chair respectively, faces a fine of HK$1.5 million. The trial was described as fair, impartial, open, and transparent by Li Kwai Wah, the chief superintendent of Hong Kong's National Security police. China's National Security Office accused the activists of inciting hatred and attempting to overthrow the Communist Party's leadership.

Despite their belief in acting within the law due to Hong Kong's freedoms of speech, the judges rejected the defence submissions. Pro-democracy politicians in Hong Kong, including Emily Lau, expressed their shock and sadness over the verdict.