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Chow Hang-tung and Lee Cheuk-yan found guilty of inciting subversion in Hong Kong court

A Hong Kong court has found Chow Hang-tung and Lee Cheuk-yan guilty of inciting subversion for their roles in organizing the annual Tiananmen Square vigil. The two prominent activists, who were key leaders of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, face a maximum penalty of 10 years in jail. The verdict follows the 2020 imposition of a national security law by Beijing, which aimed to return the city to order and stability. Prosecutors argued that the alliance's calls to end a "one-party dictatorship" were an unlawful attempt to topple China's fundamental system. While the defense argued that the campaign was about moving toward democracy and promoting peaceful protest, the judges ruled that the leaders were actively advocating for activities that intended to "overthrow" and "undermine" the Chinese Communist Party. The Hong Kong government has defended the verdict as a fair trial, rejecting Western claims that the crackdown on dissent has eroded the city's freedoms.

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