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Hong Kong activists convicted of subversion over Tiananmen vigils
A Hong Kong court has convicted two prominent pro-democracy activists, Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung, of inciting subversion under the city’s national security law. The pair, former leaders of the now-disbanded Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, were found guilty of organizing annual candlelight vigils to commemorate the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown.
Prosecutors argued that the defendants incited others to use unlawful means to overthrow the leadership of the Communist Party of China. The court found that their actions, occurring between July 2020 and September 2021, aimed to undermine the state power. A third defendant, former lawmaker Albert Ho, previously pleaded guilty to the same charges.
Lee and Chow, who have been in detention since 2021, face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Sentencing will be announced at a later date. The convictions have drawn criticism from international groups like Amnesty International and the European Union, which view the verdict as part of a campaign to erode political freedoms and erase the history of the 1989 protests in the territory.
Entities
Albert Ho · Amnesty International · China · Chow Hang-tung · Communist Party of China · Hong Kong · Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China · Hong Kong High Court · Lee Cheuk-yan · Tiananmen Square
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 11 SOURCES] The Hong Kong Alliance organized annual vigils for the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown for three decades. gulfnews.com · www.bbc.co.uk · www.brandonsun.com · hongkongfp.com · keyt.com · +3 more
- [● 9 SOURCES] Lee Cheuk-yan denied holding enmity toward the Communist Party, stating his desire for reform stems from love for the people. srnnews.com · www.winnipegfreepress.com · wtop.com · krmg.com · www.independent.co.uk · +2 more
- [● 24 SOURCES] Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. gulfnews.com · www.bbc.co.uk · krdo.com · hongkongfp.com · www.amnesty.org · +17 more
- [● 2 SOURCES] The government stated its law enforcement actions are evidence-based and strictly follow the law. gulfnews.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] A verdict in the case of Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung is expected on Friday. gulfnews.com
- [● 11 SOURCES] The group's advocacy was about inciting others to use unlawful means to overthrow the leadership of China’s Communist Party. srnnews.com · www.winnipegfreepress.com · wtop.com · www.bbc.co.uk · krmg.com · +4 more
- [● 9 SOURCES] The activists pleaded not guilty when their trial opened in January. gulfnews.com · www.bbc.co.uk · keyt.com · krdo.com · www.perthnow.com.au · +3 more
- [● 11 SOURCES] The core demand of the Hong Kong Alliance was ending one-party rule. srnnews.com · www.winnipegfreepress.com · wtop.com · krmg.com · www.independent.co.uk · +5 more
- [● 15 SOURCES] Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung were convicted of inciting subversion of state power. www.bbc.co.uk · krdo.com · hongkongfp.com · www.amnesty.org · www.dimsumdaily.hk · +9 more
- [● 14 SOURCES] Former lawmaker Albert Ho previously pleaded guilty to the same charges. www.bbc.co.uk · krdo.com · hongkongfp.com · www.amnesty.org · www.brandonsun.com · +8 more
- [● 7 SOURCES] The Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China was also found guilty. www.dimsumdaily.hk · www.semissourian.com · www.chinesepen.org · www.bbc.co.uk · www.halternerzeitung.de · +2 more
- [DISPUTED] A Hong Kong court found pro-democracy activists Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung guilty of sedition. www.halternerzeitung.de · www.kurierverlag.de · www.bbv-net.de · www.bbc.co.uk · www.vol.at · +5 more