Hong Kong activists await verdict in Tiananmen vigil trial

A verdict is expected Friday in the trial of Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung, former leaders of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China. The pair face charges of inciting subversion under a national security law imposed by China, which has significantly impacted Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement.

If convicted by the three government-approved judges, the activists face a maximum prison sentence of 10 years. Both individuals have pleaded not guilty since the trial began in January.

For 30 years, the now-disbanded alliance organized the only large-scale public commemorations in the region for the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown. These annual vigils, which drew tens of thousands of participants, were banned in 2020 during the pandemic due to public health concerns. Observers note that the prosecution of these organizers and the cessation of the vigils represent a shift in the freedoms promised to Hong Kong following its 1997 return to Chinese rule.