Two former organizers of the annual Hong Kong vigil honoring the victims of the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown were found guilty in a national security trial on Friday. Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung, former leaders of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, were convicted of inciting subversion under the China-imposed national security law. They had denied the charges and face a maximum sentence of 10 years. The alliance was also deemed guilty.
The judges ruled that the alliance’s call to “end one-party dictatorship” was not merely a call for the ruling Communist Party to return to a multiparty system as per the constitution but rather aimed at undermining the party’s leadership status. They interpreted the term “end” as suggesting “overthrow” and “undermine,” constituting a breach of the security law.
The verdict is part of the ongoing crackdown on Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement, which has significantly dwindled under the control of Hong Kong and Chinese authorities. The candlelight vigil organized by the alliance, a significant event for three decades, was banned in 2020 amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and ahead of the enactment of the security law to suppress the 2019 anti-government protests.
Observers view this trial as indicative of the diminishing freedom of expression in Hong Kong since its handover to Chinese rule in 1997. The defendants, Lee and Chow, are set to be sentenced later, where they will seek leniency. The judges did not provide reasons for the conviction during the hearing, stating that the complete judgment would be available online.
Eric Lai, a senior fellow at the Georgetown Center for Asian Law, highlighted that the charge of inciting subversion is commonly used in mainland China to suppress human rights advocates and intellectuals. The case has drawn attention to the tightening grip on dissent in Hong Kong, with Lee and Chow accused of inciting the overthrow of the ruling party.
During the trial, prosecutors argued that the alliance’s objective was not political but rather inciting the overthrow of the Communist Party leadership through illegal means. However, Lee contended that their aim was to promote democracy and allow people to choose their leaders, criticizing the Party’s enforcement of dictatorship.
Chow described “ending one-party rule” as putting an end to unrestrained power and criticized the reversal of moral standards in the case. The trial, initially expected to last 75 days, concluded in just 24 days, with another defendant, Albert Ho, pleading guilty, potentially leading to a reduced sentence.
After the conviction, Lee’s wife expressed disappointment and disbelief, maintaining Lee’s innocence. The future of the case remains uncertain, with the possibility of an appeal. The trial’s outcome has sparked doubts among supporters, with concerns raised about the implications for Hong Kong’s legal system.
The crackdown on the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong has raised international concerns, with critics denouncing the erosion of civil liberties in the city. The conviction of the vigil organizers marks another blow to the once-thriving democracy movement in Hong Kong.