HONG KONG — A Hong Kong court on Friday convicted two pro-democracy activists on charges of “incitement to subversion” for organizing peaceful vigils in memory of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, a case that has drawn sharp international criticism and renewed scrutiny of Beijing’s national security crackdown in the city.
Lee Cheuk-yan, a 69-year-old former lawmaker, and Chow Hang-tung, a 41-year-old lawyer, were found guilty by a three-judge panel at the West Kowloon Law Courts Building, according to the Hong Kong Free Press. The pair face a maximum penalty of ten years in prison, with sentencing expected at a later date.
Vigils Criminalized Under National Security Law
The charges stem from Hong Kong’s National Security Law, imposed by Beijing in 2020. Prosecutors alleged that Lee and Chow incited others to organize, plan, or participate in acts “by unlawful means with a view to subverting the state power,” per a court summary shared by AFP. The activists have been imprisoned since 2021.
The two were key figures in the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, a pro-democracy group that for decades held annual candlelight vigils on June 4 to commemorate the Tiananmen massacre. The Chinese government used the pandemic as a pretext to ban the vigils in 2020 and forced the alliance to disband in 2021, as Breitbart News has reported.
Lee and Chow’s trial centered on their roles in leading the yearly peaceful remembrances, which authorities characterized as actions “aimed at subjecting” the Chinese regime’s state power. A third defendant, 74-year-old former lawmaker Albert Ho, pleaded guilty to the charges in January.
Courtroom Reactions and Sentencing
According to the BBC, Chow “smiled” as the verdict was read, while Lee “showed little emotion” and made a heart gesture to express gratitude to supporters in the gallery. Court proceedings were adjourned until next Friday for mitigation hearings ahead of sentencing.
The case marks another milestone in Hong Kong’s sweeping enforcement of the National Security Law, which Beijing has used to dismantle the city’s pro-democracy movement. The law was enacted after the massive 2020 protests in Hong Kong, effectively criminalizing criticism of the Chinese Communist Party and restricting a wide array of dissenting activities.
International Condemnation
Britain’s Indo-Pacific minister, Baroness Winterton of Doncaster, rejected the conviction in remarks published by the Foreign Office on Friday. She called the verdict “further demonstration that even peaceful acts of remembrance in Hong Kong are now treated by the authorities as threats to national security.”
“The extensive use of Beijing’s National Security Law to punish and restrict peaceful expression undermines the commitments China made to Hong Kong under the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration,” Winterton said. “We reiterate our call for the National Security Law to be repealed, and for rights and freedoms to be respected in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.”
Hong Kong was historically one of the few places under Chinese rule where citizens could freely observe the Tiananmen Square massacre, according to the BBC. The National Security Law has since banned such commemorations and broader dissent.
The convictions are expected to draw further international attention as the city’s legal system continues to be reshaped by Beijing’s security agenda. Sentencing for Lee and Chow is anticipated in the coming weeks.
Source: www.breitbart.com — https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2026/08/21/hong-kong-activists-convicted-of-subversion-for-mourning-tiananmen-square-massacre/