Hong Kong officials approve conviction of Tiananmen vigil organizers; rights groups cite declining freedoms

Hong Kong officials have lauded the conviction of two prominent pro-democracy figures for their roles in organizing the city's annual Tiananmen Square massacre vigils. Chow Hang-tung and Lee Cheuk-yan, former leaders of the now-disbanded Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, were found guilty of inciting subversion. A third former leader, Albert Ho, had previously pleaded guilty.

Chief Executive John Lee stated that the Alliance had "deliberately planted seeds of hatred" against the Chinese Communist Party and the central government, aiming to incite disaffection and endanger national security. He asserted that the defendants' actions over time were clear conspiracies that must be brought to justice.

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The Alliance had long been deliberately planting seeds of hatred against the CPC and the Central Government in the Hong Kong society, attempting to incite disaffection, hatred and other sentiments among members of the public against the CPC and the Central Government through various means, and inciting people to subvert state power. The acts of the defendants over a long period of time endangered national security; their conspiracy was abundantly clear, which must be brought to justice.

Steve Li, Chief Superintendent of the police's National Security Department, echoed these sentiments, calling the conviction an "indisputable fact" that exposed the group's true colors. He emphasized that the Alliance had "sown countless seeds of hatred" and that the conviction rightly demonstrated their intent to incite subversion and endanger national security.

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It is an indisputable fact that the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China has, year after year over a prolonged period, sown countless seeds of hatred against the Central Government and the Chinese Communist Party among the public. Today, the court’s conviction of the Alliance’s chairman and vice-chairmen rightly exposes their true colours as having deliberately incited others to subvert state power and endanger national security.

Secretary for Security Chris Tang added that the Alliance's agenda aimed to overthrow the CCP's leadership and constitution. He noted that even after the national security law was enacted, the defendants continued public activities, including attempting illegal assemblies and using slogans to incite protests. They also allegedly attempted to digitize their museum.

However, activists and overseas human rights groups have voiced concern over the convictions, viewing them as a further erosion of freedoms in Hong Kong. The verdicts, which could lead to jail sentences of up to 10 years, have intensified worries about the city's diminishing autonomy.

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Since The Alliance’s founding, it has promoted its agenda with the aim of overthrowing the Chinese Communist Party’s leadership and constitution… after the national security law was enacted, the defendants still held public activities, including attempting to hold illegal assemblies, using slogans to incite the public to take part in so-called protests, distributing printed publications or online content, accepting media interviews, and making public statements. They also attempted to operate and digitise their so-called museum.