In brief
The court handed three Hong Kong activists, Lee Cheuk‑yan, Chow Hang‑tung and Albert Ho, prison sentences ranging from five to seven years for organising and waving slogans at Tiananmen vigils banned under the 2020 national security law. The defendants were charged with inciting the subversion of state power and “ending one‑party dictatorship”. The ruling, which also fined the Hong Kong Alliance HK$1.5m, marks a grim moment for free expression in the city and attracts condemnation from human‑rights groups. Protest organisers claim the punishment smothers the memory of the 1989 crackdown and the democratic aspirations of residents. Both defendants and their families express grief but a willingness to appeal, underscoring continued resistance.
Three Hong Kong activists organising annual vigils commemorating Beijing's 1989 Tiananmen crackdown have been sentenced to up to seven years in prison.
Lee Cheuk-yan (69), Chow Hang-tung (41) and Albert Ho (74) were convicted of inciting the subversion of state power under Hong Kong's national security law (NSL). Lee received seven years, Chow seven years and three months, and Ho five years after his guilty plea.
The NSL, which has broadened criminal sanctions for dissent, was enacted in 2020 and effectively ended public vigils in Hong Kong. The court cited slogans like "ending one‑party dictatorship" as incitement against the Chinese Communist Party.
Despite the law’s stated aim of maintaining stability, critics argue that it erodes Hong Kong's autonomy and fosters fear. Human‑rights organisations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch condemned the sentences as a triple tragedy that restricts memory and civic space.
Lee and Chow, who smiled before the public gallery, were later seen praying and blowing kisses as they left the dock, while Ho, dead‑poured, had a serious expression. The defendants’ families, including Lee's wife Elizabeth Tang and Chow's mother Medina, voiced sorrow but urged resilience.
The Hong Kong Alliance, a now-disbanded group that had called for democratic reform and held vigils with up to 100,000 participants, was fined HK$1.5m. The ruling highlights the politics of remembrance in a city where the memory of the Tiananmen crackdown remains highly sensitive.
