2 organizers of Hong Kong's Tiananmen vigils convicted of inciting subversion

Key Points:

• Two former organizers of Hong Kong’s Tiananmen Square vigil, Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung, were convicted of inciting subversion under China’s national security law, facing up to 10 years in prison; the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China was also found guilty.
• The court ruled that calls to “end one-party dictatorship” were interpreted as attempts to overthrow the Communist Party’s leadership, violating the constitution and national security law, with defendants accused of encouraging unlawful means to achieve this goal.
• The verdict highlights the erosion of Hong Kong’s freedoms and the dismantling of its pro-democracy movement since the 2020 security law, with the annual Tiananmen vigil, once a major public commemoration, banned amid tightening government control.
• Supporters and family members of the convicted expressed disappointment and maintained their innocence, while Hong Kong authorities defended the ruling as necessary for national security, emphasizing that criticism is allowed but not incitement or subversion.
• International observers, including the UK Foreign Office, condemned the verdict as treating peaceful remembrance as a security threat, underscoring the broader crackdown on civil rights and political expression in Hong Kong.