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Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung Convicted of Incitement to Subversion for Organizing Tiananmen Commemorations

Two prominent Hong Kong activists, Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung, have been convicted of incitement to subversion under China's national security law. The court ruled that their leadership of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, which organized annual vigils for the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, constituted an unlawful attempt to overthrow the Chinese government. Defense counsel Erik Shum Sze-man argued that the goal of ending a one-party dictatorship was an "empty slogan" rather than a concrete plan. Despite the alliance's lack of a specific roadmap to oust the ruling party, the court determined that the stated aim of ending one-party rule reflected the beliefs of the former leaders. Chow Hang-tung, who has been in prison since 2021, remains a rare voice of open defiance in a region where many democracy movements have been driven underground. The convictions highlight the Chinese government's determination to control and rewrite history, particularly regarding the 1989 massacre, which remains a sensitive subject in mainland China.

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