A court in Hong Kong on Friday sentenced three pro-democracy activists to prison terms ranging from five to seven years for organizing annual vigils commemorating the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown. The convictions were delivered under the city’s national security law, which has been utilized by Beijing-backed authorities to suppress dissent.
The defendants convicted in August of incitement to subversion were Lee Cheuk-yan, aged 69; Albert Ho, aged 74; and Chow Hang-tung, aged 41. Lee and Chow were each handed sentences of seven years and seven years and three months, respectively. Albert Ho received a lighter sentence of five years and two months after entering a guilty plea.
Prosecutors cited the group’s historical rhetoric calling for the “end of one-party dictatorship” as evidence challenging the legitimacy of Communist Party rule in the special administrative region. The now-disbanded Hong Kong Alliance, which organized the vigils in Victoria Park, had already been fined HK$1.5 million (approximately $191,304) for its activities.
Both Lee and Chow denied the charges. Their legal teams argued that the defendants acted within their rights under Hong Kong’s previously robust freedoms of speech. However, the court rejected these defenses, noting that such liberties have been severely curtailed since the imposition of the national security law in 2020 following mass pro-democracy protests.
During the proceedings, Chow, a barrister who represented herself, waved to supporters as she was led away. Her mother, Medina Chow, urged the crowd not to lose heart or feel guilty about the verdict. Chow had previously stated she had “nothing to repent for,” having participated in the now-banned commemorative events.
The sentencing has triggered condemnation from international governments and human rights organizations. Amnesty International described the verdict as a “triple tragedy” affecting the activists, the victims of the original crackdown, and future generations of Hong Kong residents denied the ability to discuss modern Chinese history.
Germany and France also criticized the outcome last month, asserting that peaceful advocacy for human rights does not constitute a crime. Chow was the recipient of the Franco-German Human Rights Award in 2023.
The case marks another significant blow to Hong Kong’s opposition movement, joining a list of high-profile arrests under the security law that includes former media tycoon Jimmy Lai and student leader Joshua Wong.
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