Hong Kong’s High Court has convicted two prominent pro-democracy activists of inciting subversion under the city’s national security law, in a case closely linked to the campaign to remember the victims of the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown in Beijing.
Lee Cheuk-yan, 69, and Chow Hang-tung, 41, were found guilty on Friday after the court concluded that their political activities and repeated use of the slogan “end one-party dictatorship” amounted to an attempt to undermine China’s political system. Both had pleaded not guilty and argued that they were exercising freedoms of expression and political activity that had historically been available in Hong Kong.
The two activists were former leaders of the now-disbanded Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China. For decades, the organisation was associated with the annual candlelight vigil in Victoria Park commemorating the victims of the Tiananmen crackdown. The event became one of the most prominent public commemorations of June 4 outside mainland China and was held for many years before authorities effectively brought it to an end.
The convictions represent another significant development in Hong Kong’s national security crackdown, which began after Beijing imposed the National Security Law in 2020. The legislation introduced offences including secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces. Authorities have defended the law as necessary to restore stability and protect national security following the large-scale pro-democracy protests that shook Hong Kong in 2019.
Prosecutors argued that the activists’ activities went beyond peaceful commemoration and constituted efforts to challenge the political order. The judges rejected the defence argument that the defendants had acted within the traditional boundaries of Hong Kong’s freedoms, saying their continued political resistance carried the risk of undermining the state.
The case has attracted international attention, with diplomats from the European Union and the United States among those observing proceedings. Critics of Hong Kong’s security laws argue that the legislation has dramatically narrowed the space for political opposition and peaceful expression. Supporters of the law, however, maintain that national security must take precedence over activities they consider capable of threatening the constitutional order.
Lee and Chow have been detained since 2021, meaning the case has involved several years of legal proceedings before reaching its verdict. A third former Alliance leader, Albert Ho, 74, pleaded guilty to the same charge earlier in the proceedings.