Hong Kong court to deliver verdict for 2 prominent former Tiananmen vigil organizers
Summary
A Hong Kong court is set to announce its decision in the trial of two prominent activists, Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung, who organized annual vigils commemorating the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown. They face charges of inciting subversion under a China-imposed national security law and could be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison if found guilty.Key Facts
- Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung were leaders of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China.
- The alliance organized annual candlelight vigils in Hong Kong to remember victims of the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown.
- Both activists pleaded not guilty to charges of inciting subversion.
- The trial is seen as part of a broader crackdown on Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement following Beijing’s 2020 security law.
- The candlelight vigil was banned in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic and political changes in Hong Kong.
- The national security law aims to stop actions that challenge China's Communist Party rule.
- A panel of three government-appointed judges will deliver the verdict.
- Observers say the trial reflects a decline in freedom of speech and judicial independence in Hong Kong.
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