Hong Kong Tiananmen Vigil Organizers Return to Court for Sentencing Arguments

Three former organizers of Hong Kong's annual Tiananmen Square vigil appeared in court on Friday to argue for lesser sentences, following their convictions on charges of inciting subversion under the city's national security law.

Lee Cheuk-yan, Chow Hang-tung, and Albert Ho, former leaders of the now-disbanded Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, were charged in 2021. Lee and Chow, who pleaded not guilty, were convicted on August 21. Ho had earlier entered a guilty plea, which can often lead to a reduced sentence.

The three face a maximum prison term of 10 years. One of the judges, Alex Lee, stated that sentencing would occur within two weeks. The alliance itself was also found guilty on the same charge.

The court ruled that the trio had intentionally encouraged supporters to wait for the right time to pursue "end one-party dictatorship," a core demand of the group, through unlawful means. The judges stated that this call carried the notion of undermining the ruling Communist Party's leadership and that the defendants had long held enmity against the party.

In court, Erik Shum, a lawyer for Lee and Ho, argued that China's fundamental system had not changed due to the defendants' advocacy work and that the Communist Party remained stable. He also noted that their work did not involve violence.

Chow, representing herself, maintained her innocence, saying she did not deserve even one day in prison. She argued that the verdict effectively criminalized the pursuit of democracy. "If the law truly has no room for our beliefs, then I would rather be a criminal than be a fake person," she said. In a social media post, she reiterated her commitment to her goals regardless of her imprisonment.

The security law prescribes sentences of five to ten years for serious offenses of inciting subversion, with lesser penalties for minor circumstances. Many leading activists, including media tycoon Jimmy Lai, have been jailed under the law, which China says is necessary for Hong Kong's stability.

The 1989 crackdown, in which hundreds or thousands were killed, remains a political taboo in mainland China. The Hong Kong Alliance's vigil was the only large-scale public commemoration in China for three decades, drawing tens of thousands annually. It was banned in 2020 during the pandemic, and the site has since been used for other events.

The court is also expected to decide the fate of the Pillar of Shame, a memorial sculpture commemorating the crackdown that was removed from a university campus in late 2021.