# Subversion charges against activists in China and Hong Kong > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/subversion-charges-against-activists-in-china-and-hong-kong > Updated: 2026-08-22T01:35:09.000Z. Sources: 75. Developments: 3. Legal actions involving charges of “inciting subversion of state power” have targeted activists and legal professionals in mainland China and Hong Kong. In mainland China, social activist Li Yuanfeng has been prosecuted by the Yiyang Intermediate People's Court. Li alleges that authorities have blocked defense lawyers from accessing case materials by classifying them as state secrets, despite Li’s assertion that his work regarding migrant worker rights and rural land issues is a matter of public interest. This follows the March 2026 sentencing of human rights lawyer Xie Yang, who received five years in prison for “inciting subversion of state power” and “disturbing court order.” In Hong Kong, recent court rulings have expanded the convictions of those associated with the disbanded Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China. While Lee Cheuk-yan and Chu Hoi-tung were previously convicted of sedition and subversion, a Hong Kong court has now convicted former Alliance leaders Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung of incitement to subversion. The court also found the Alliance itself guilty of the same charges. These convictions stem from the group's organization of annual candlelight vigils in Victoria Park to commemorate the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown. Prosecutors argued the group sought to overthrow Communist Party leadership by calling for an end to one-party rule. Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung face a maximum prison sentence of 10 years. The United States has called for the immediate release of the defendants, while the European Union stated the convictions confirm a “continuing deterioration of freedoms in Hong Kong.” The Hong Kong government has dismissed these criticisms as “baseless slanders.” ## Claims - A Hong Kong court found pro-democracy activists Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung guilty of subversion. (disputed by 24 sources) - A Hong Kong court found pro-democracy activists Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung guilty of sedition. (disputed by 11 sources) - Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. (corroborated by 24 sources) - The activists and their organization incited the overthrow of state power between July 2020 and September 2021. (corroborated by 24 sources) - The activists allegedly called for an end to the one-party dictatorship to challenge the legitimacy of the Communist Party of China. (corroborated by 22 sources) - A third defendant, Albert Ho, pleaded guilty to the charges. (corroborated by 21 sources) - Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung pleaded not guilty to the charges. (corroborated by 13 sources) - The group's advocacy was about inciting others to use unlawful means to overthrow the leadership of China’s Communist Party. (corroborated by 11 sources) ## Timeline ### 2026-08-22: Hong Kong activists convicted of subversion over Tiananmen vigils Hong Kong activists Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung were convicted of incitement to subversion for organizing Tiananmen Square vigils, facing up to 10 years in prison under the national security law. 13 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/hong-kong-activists-convicted-for-tiananmen-crackdown-commemorations ### 2026-08-20: Hong Kong activists convicted of subversion over Tiananmen vigils Hong Kong activists Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung have been found guilty of inciting subversion for organizing Tiananmen Square memorial vigils, facing up to 10 years in prison. 65 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/hong-kong-activists-await-verdict-in-tiananmen-vigil-trial ### 2026-08-15: Activists and lawyers face subversion charges in China Human rights activists Li Yuanfeng and lawyer Xie Yang face imprisonment in China on charges of “inciting subversion of state power” following legal actions in Hunan province. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/activists-and-lawyers-face-subversion-charges-in-china --- Cite as: Subversion charges against activists in China and Hong Kong. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/subversion-charges-against-activists-in-china-and-hong-kong