Two individuals who previously organized Hong Kong’s annual vigil to commemorate the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown have been found guilty in a national security case under a law imposed by China. Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung, former leaders of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, were charged with inciting subversion in 2021 and face a possible 10-year prison sentence. The alliance itself was also convicted.
The court determined that the alliance’s advocacy to “end one-party dictatorship” was not a call for the ruling Communist Party to revert to a multi-party cooperative system as per the constitution, but rather an attempt to remove its leadership status as outlined in the constitution. The judges interpreted the term “end” in the context of “overthrowing” and “undermining” the party’s leadership.
This verdict marks another blow to Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement, which has significantly weakened under the control of Hong Kong and Chinese authorities. The annual candlelight vigil organized by the alliance, which used to attract tens of thousands of attendees to honor the Tiananmen Square victims, was prohibited in 2020 due to the pandemic and later replaced by a carnival backed by pro-Beijing factions.
Lee and Chow, who smiled and waved to supporters before leaving the courtroom, are set to be sentenced at a later date. Critics view their trial as emblematic of the diminishing freedom of expression in the region since its handover from British to Chinese rule in 1997.
The prosecution argued that the defendants’ actions were aimed at inciting the overthrow of the ruling Communist Party of China. While the prosecutors claimed the case was not politically motivated, they focused on the alliance’s advocacy for ending one-party rule as a means to incite others to challenge the party’s leadership through unlawful methods.
During the trial, Lee and Chow contended that their call to end one-party rule was about promoting democracy and empowering the people to choose their leaders rather than advocating for the removal of the party’s leadership. Chow, who represented herself in court, explained that ending one-party rule meant putting an end to unchecked power and criticized the reversal in the standard of right and wrong in their case.
The trial, initially expected to last 75 days, concluded after just 24 days, with Albert Ho, another defendant, pleading guilty early on. Lee and Chow are anticipated to seek reduced sentences during a separate hearing, along with Ho.
Following the conviction, Lee’s wife expressed disappointment and frustration, maintaining her husband’s innocence and hinting at a potential appeal. Supporters of the defendants gathered outside the court, with one individual highlighting the significance of the verdict on their perception of the city’s legal framework.
The 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown, which saw the loss of hundreds, if not thousands, of lives as the military intervened in Beijing, marked a pivotal moment in China’s trajectory, reinforcing economic reforms without political liberalization. The introduction of the 2020 security law in Hong Kong was defended by Beijing as necessary for stability, resulting in the imprisonment of various activists, including media mogul Jimmy Lai, and the dissolution of numerous civil society groups, including the alliance.