Hong Kong court convicts ex-democracy leaders of inciting subversion over Tiananmen commemorations

A Hong Kong court has convicted two former leaders of a banned democracy group of inciting subversion, marking another blow to the city's fading freedoms. Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung, once at the forefront of Tiananmen Square massacre commemorations, were found guilty under the national security law.

The Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, which advocated for ending one-party rule, was dissolved in 2021. Lee served as its chairman and Chow as vice-chairwoman. The group's legal entity was also convicted.

For years, the Alliance organized annual candlelight vigils in Victoria Park to remember those who died in the 1989 crackdown. These gatherings were a stark contrast to mainland China, where the Tiananmen incident is a taboo subject. The group also operated a "June 4th Museum" displaying relics of the victims.

Prosecutors argued that since the national security law's implementation in late June 2020, Lee and others continued their activities, demanding an end to the Chinese Communist Party's one-party rule and endangering national security. The defense contended that their actions were protected by freedom of speech rights guaranteed by the Chinese constitution. However, the court sided with the prosecution.

Since the handover from British rule in 1997, Hong Kong had been allowed to hold Tiananmen Square commemorations under the "one country, two systems" principle, guaranteeing a high degree of autonomy. The national security law has drastically curtailed these freedoms, effectively banning such gatherings.

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The Hong Kong court today made a guilty verdict in a national security law case involving the Tiananmen Square massacre commemoration rally.