Hong Kong's Tiananmen activists sentenced to up to seven years in prison

Three veteran Hong Kong activists—Lee Cheuk‑yan, 69, Chow Hang‑tung, 41, and Albert Ho, 74—have been sentenced under the city’s national‑security law for organising annual Tiananmen Square‑crackdown vigils. Lee received seven years’ imprisonment, Chow seven years and three months, and Ho, who pleaded guilty earlier in the year, five years. All three were convicted of “inciting others to subvert state power,” a charge stemming from their leadership of the now‑disbanded Hong Kong Alliance, which for three decades held commemorations that once drew crowds of over 100,000. The court described the group’s slogan “ending one‑party dictatorship” as an unlawful call to undermine the Chinese Communist Party.

The verdict marks the culmination of a broader crackdown that began when Hong Kong’s authorities banned the Tiananmen vigils in 2020, ostensibly for Covid‑19 reasons, and later enforced the sweeping national‑security law. Charged in 2021, the activists faced up to ten years in prison; their sentences, coupled with a HK$1.5 million fine on the Alliance, underscore the law’s expansive reach over dissent. Critics argue the law has eroded Hong Kong’s autonomy and created a climate of fear, while officials claim it is essential for stability. The court’s summary emphasized that the defendants “incited other persons to organise, plan, commit or participate in acts by unlawful means with a view to subverting state power,” linking their peaceful commemorations to a perceived threat against the state.

Reactions were stark. Lee’s wife called the ruling “unacceptable” and said he would appeal, while Chow’s mother urged supporters not to be “overly saddened.” International bodies condemned the sentences: Amnesty International described them a “triple tragedy” for activists, Tiananmen victims, and Hong Kong’s civic space, and Human Rights Watch denounced the punishments as evidence of a government “afraid of memory.” The case signals a further narrowing of public discourse in Hong Kong and raises concerns about the future of any remaining avenues for commemorating the 1989 crackdown.

⚡ Effects Interpreter