A Hong Kong court has sentenced three prominent pro-democracy activists to prison for their roles in organising the last major vigil commemorating the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre on Chinese soil. Chow Hang-tung, 41, Lee Cheuk-yan, 69, and Albert Ho, 74, who were former leaders of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, were convicted on charges of inciting subversion under Hong Kong’s national security law.
The alliance had been responsible for organising annual vigils marking the Tiananmen crackdown, which has come to symbolize the political freedoms once more widely exercised in Hong Kong under its “one country, two systems” governance framework. The vigils drew increasing attention as expressions of dissent against the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Authorities in Hong Kong legally banned the event in 2021 following widespread pro-democracy protests and a sweeping national security crackdown imposed by Beijing in 2020.
Chow, the former vice-chair of the alliance, was sentenced to seven years and three months in prison after being found guilty last month. Lee, who previously chaired the alliance, received a seven-year sentence, while Ho, who pleaded guilty, was sentenced to five years and two months. The alliance itself was fined HK$1.5 million (approximately US$191,000). Ho was also the former chair of Hong Kong’s largest opposition party, which disbanded last year.
Central to the case was the alliance’s use of the slogan “end one-party dictatorship,” which the court concluded was intended to incite hostility toward the CCP and erode public confidence in the party’s leadership. Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee stated that the alliance’s objectives aimed to “overthrow and undermine the leadership” of the Communist Party of China.
The sentencing reflects a broader tightening of political freedoms in Hong Kong. Earlier in September, activist Joshua Wong pleaded guilty to charges of conspiring to collude with foreign forces, while billionaire pro-democracy media figure Jimmy Lai was sentenced in February to 20 years on national security charges. Critics argue that the national security law has been leveraged to suppress civil society and legitimate political dissent in the city, while authorities maintain that it has been necessary to restore stability and safeguard Hong Kong’s role as a financial hub.
Family and friends of Lee and Chow have indicated their intention to appeal the sentences. Attempts to reach representatives of the three defendants for comment were unsuccessful at the time of reporting.