Hong Kong Tiananmen activists found guilty of national security charges
Summary
Two pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong, Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung, were found guilty of national security charges for organizing candlelight vigils remembering the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown. They face up to 10 years in prison as their trial highlights growing restrictions on freedom in Hong Kong.Key Facts
- Lee Cheuk-yan (69) and Chow Hang-tung (41) are former leaders of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China.
- They were convicted of "incitement to subversion" for organizing Tiananmen Square vigil events.
- The activists denied the charges but were found guilty in a Hong Kong court in 2024.
- These vigils were banned starting in 2020 amid COVID-19 and before a new national security law was enforced.
- The activists could be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison.
- The case is seen as a sign of shrinking freedom of expression in Hong Kong under Beijing’s control.
- In 1989, Chinese troops killed many protesters in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square; this event is heavily censored in China.
- Another activist, Jimmy Lai, was sentenced to 20 years for similar national security charges earlier in 2024.
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