Hong Kong Activists Sentenced Up to Seven Years for Tiananmen Vigils
Three former leaders of the Hong Kong Alliance, a group that organized annual vigils for the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown, were handed prison terms ranging from five to seven years. The names are Lee Cheuk‑yan, a 69‑year‑old veteran; Chow Hang‑tung, 41; and Albert Ho, 74, who pleaded guilty in January.
Under the National Security Law enacted in 2020, the activists were charged with inciting subversion of state power. Courts argued that the vigils, which once drew more than 100,000 people, constituted an unlawful attempt to undermine the Chinese Communist Party. Lee and Chow were convicted last month; Ho was found guilty earlier after pleading.
On Friday, a Hong Kong magistrate sentenced Lee to seven years, Chow to seven years and three months, and Ho to five years. While the court session was partly televised, the public gallery filled with sympathisers and family members of the defendants.
Post‑sentence, Lee’s wife, Elizabeth Tang, told reporters that she could not accept the additional prison time and indicated an appeal. Chow’s mother, Medina, urged the community not to be overwhelmed by sorrow, emphasizing that the activists had been prepared for arrest and willing to pay the price for democracy.
The Hong Kong Alliance itself received a fine of HK$1.5m ($191,000), a monetary penalty that underscores the regime’s clampdown on public remembrance. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have condemned the sentences as a ‘triple tragedy’ for activists, survivors of the crackdown, and future generations of Hongkongers denied a forum to discuss historical injustices.
