Why are Hong Kong’s Tiananmen vigil organisers facing prison?
Summary
Two Hong Kong activists, Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung, were found guilty of inciting subversion under Hong Kong’s national security law for organizing annual Tiananmen Square vigil events. These vigils remembered the 1989 crackdown in Beijing, which led to many deaths, and the activists face up to 10 years in prison.Key Facts
- Lee Cheuk-yan (69) and Chow Hang-tung (41) were convicted by Hong Kong’s High Court for inciting subversion.
- They helped organize annual candlelight vigils in Hong Kong to remember the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown.
- The vigil organizers belonged to the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, now disbanded.
- The alliance campaigned for accountability for the crackdown, political reform in China, and the release of dissidents.
- The court ruled that calls to end China’s one-party system were seen as hostile to the Chinese Communist Party.
- Another activist, Albert Ho (74), pleaded guilty to the same charge before the trial.
- Hong Kong was previously one of the few places in China that allowed public Tiananmen memorials due to the “one country, two systems” policy.
- The vigils were banned in 2020 and 2021, first due to COVID-19 restrictions, and have not resumed.
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