A Hong Kong court handed down prison sentences to three prominent activists involved in organizing annual vigils commemorating the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown. Lee Cheuk-yan, age 69, was sentenced to seven years in prison, while Chow Hang-tung, 41, received seven years and three months. Albert Ho, 74, who pleaded guilty in January, was sentenced to five years. All three were convicted under Hong Kong’s national security law on charges related to inciting others to subvert state power.
The defendants served as leaders of the Hong Kong Alliance, an organization founded in 1989 to support pro-democracy movements. For decades, the group held yearly vigils marking the Tiananmen Square crackdown, which organizers reported attracted over 100,000 participants in some years. These gatherings represented rare public commemorations of the sensitive historical event, as the topic remains heavily censored and restricted in mainland China. The vigils were halted in 2020 under Covid-19 policies and never resumed.
The national security law took effect the same year the vigils were banned. According to court documents, the charges centered on the activists’ use of the slogan “ending one-party dictatorship,” which prosecutors argued incited subversion of the Chinese Communist Party. The court determined their statements and organizational activities violated the legislation designed to maintain stability in Hong Kong. The defendants faced maximum sentences of ten years before sentencing occurred on Friday.
Critics and international human rights organizations condemned the verdicts as disproportionate punishment for peaceful advocacy. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch issued statements characterizing the sentences as harsh treatment of activists exercising free expression. Lee’s wife stated the sentences were unacceptable, while Chow’s mother urged supporters to maintain resolve. Lee indicated his intention to appeal the conviction.
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