HONG KONG — Three prominent Hong Kong pro-democracy activists who helped organize annual commemorations of the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown have been sentenced to lengthy prison terms under the city’s national security law, in a case that has intensified international concerns over the shrinking space for political dissent.
Former Hong Kong Alliance leaders Chow Hang-tung, Lee Cheuk-yan and Albert Ho were sentenced on September 11 after being convicted of inciting subversion of state power.
Chow, a 41-year-old lawyer, received the longest sentence at seven years and three months. Lee, 69, was sentenced to seven years, while Ho, 74, received five years and two months after pleading guilty earlier this year.
The three were leaders of the now-disbanded Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, the organization that for decades helped organize one of the most significant public commemorations of the Tiananmen crackdown in Chinese territory.
From candlelight vigils to national security charges
For decades, Hong Kong was the only place under Chinese sovereignty where large-scale public gatherings commemorating the victims of the June 4, 1989 crackdown were routinely held.
The annual candlelight vigil at Victoria Park became a powerful symbol of Hong Kong’s civil liberties and its political differences from mainland China.
That changed dramatically after Beijing imposed the National Security Law on Hong Kong in 2020, following the massive pro-democracy protests that shook the city in 2019.
Authorities subsequently banned the annual Tiananmen vigil, while the Hong Kong Alliance eventually disbanded in 2021 amid mounting pressure from authorities.
Lee and Chow were among seven members of the alliance charged in 2021. They remained in custody for years while awaiting trial and were repeatedly denied bail, according to Amnesty International.
The phrase that became central to the case
At the heart of the prosecution was the alliance’s longstanding call to “end one-party dictatorship.”
Judges determined that the group’s activities and statements amounted to an attempt to undermine the political system of the People’s Republic of China.
Reuters reported that prosecutors and the court focused heavily on the group’s political advocacy, while authorities argued that its activities sought to undermine the Communist Party’s leadership.
The activists, however, maintained that their activities were peaceful and fell within freedoms that Hong Kong residents had historically enjoyed.
Chow represented herself during the trial. Both she and Lee pleaded not guilty. Ho pleaded guilty in January and subsequently received a shorter sentence.
International condemnation
The verdicts have triggered renewed criticism from rights organizations and governments concerned about the future of civil liberties in Hong Kong.
Amnesty International described the sentencing as evidence of how dramatically Hong Kong has changed under the banner of national security, arguing that the activists were being punished for peaceful political activity and remembrance.
Human Rights Watch likewise criticized the convictions and called for the sentences to be overturned, saying the case violated rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.
The United States, United Kingdom, European Union and Taiwan have also expressed concerns over the prosecution and sentencing, according to international reporting.
Taiwan’s government particularly condemned the proceedings, saying that advocating democracy and human rights should not be treated as a crime.
Hong Kong and Beijing defend the security law
Hong Kong authorities have rejected the characterization of the case as punishment for political beliefs.
Officials have defended the National Security Law as necessary to protect national security and maintain stability following the unrest of 2019.
Chinese authorities have accused the activists of attempting to undermine the country’s political system and said the national security framework is necessary to prevent threats to the state.
The disagreement over the case therefore goes far beyond the three defendants.
It has become another major test of how far Hong Kong’s authorities can use national security legislation against political advocacy, civil society groups and public remembrance.
Alliance also hit with HK$1.5 million fine
The consequences extend beyond the activists themselves.
The Hong Kong Alliance was also ordered to pay a HK$1.5 million fine, or roughly US$191,000, according to Reuters and Human Rights Watch.
For critics of Beijing’s expanding control over Hong Kong, the case represents another milestone in the dismantling of the city’s once-vibrant pro-democracy movement.
For Chinese and Hong Kong authorities, however, the prosecutions form part of a broader effort to enforce national security and prevent activities they consider threats to state power.
Either way, the sentences have ensured that the legacy of the Tiananmen vigils—and the question of how much political space remains in Hong Kong—will continue to reverberate far beyond the courtroom.
And with Lee and Chow expected to challenge their sentences, the legal battle over Hong Kong’s remaining political freedoms may not be over yet.
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