Hong Kong Court Convicts Tiananmen Vigil Organizers of Subversion

A Hong Kong court has convicted two prominent democracy activists, Chow Hang-tung (41) and Lee Cheuk-yan (69), of inciting subversion for their role in organizing the city's annual candlelight vigil commemorating the victims of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre in Beijing. The pair have been held in detention since their arrest in 2021.

Court: Calling for End to One-Party Rule Undermined State Power

The Court of Final Appeal ruled that the two activists had incited other persons to organize, plan, commit or participate in illegal acts. Their goal, the judges found, was to undermine state power — specifically by demanding the end of one-party rule, which the court ruled violated China's constitution. Both Chow and Lee rejected the charges, arguing that the democratic change they advocated did not exclude Communist Party leadership. Sentencing has not yet been announced; each faces up to ten years in prison.

Germany and France Demand Immediate Release

Chow Hang-tung received the German-French Prize for Human Rights and the Rule of Law in 2023. Following the verdict, the governments of Germany and France issued a joint statement condemning the ruling and calling for her immediate release, praising her tireless efforts to promote human rights and democracy in China and especially in Hong Kong. The European Union also called on Hong Kong authorities to preserve space for an independent civil society and guarantee freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.

Elaine Pearson, Asia director of Human Rights Watch, said the verdict showed how public acts of mourning have become a crime in Hong Kong. A third defendant, former legislator Albert Ho (74), pleaded guilty in January and is expected to receive a reduced sentence.