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Hong Kong court convicts Tiananmen vigil organizers of inciting subversion

Lee Cheuk-yan, Chow Hang-tung, and their disbanded alliance face up to 10 years in prison under Beijing's national security law.

Updated Aug 24, 2026 · 03:18 UTC4 reports

The short version

  • Hong Kong judges convicted former vigil leaders Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung, along with the disbanded Hong Kong Alliance, of inciting subversion.
  • The court ruled that the group's long-standing slogan to end one-party dictatorship amounted to an unlawful attempt to overthrow China's ruling Communist Party.
  • The defendants face up to 10 years in prison, with sentencing scheduled for a later date following mitigation pleas.
  • Hong Kong authorities defended the ruling as lawful, while Western governments and human rights organizations condemned the verdict as an attack on free expression.

Key facts

  • Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung, former leaders of the now-disbanded Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, were convicted of inciting subversion under the Beijing-imposed national security law.[PBS NewsHour · The Guardian · Associated Press]
  • Government-approved judges determined that the alliance's slogan calling to 'end one-party dictatorship' aimed to subvert state power and undermine the Chinese Communist Party's constitutional role.[PBS NewsHour · The Guardian]
  • The defendants face maximum prison terms of 10 years; codefendant Albert Ho entered a guilty plea when the trial commenced in January.[PBS NewsHour · The Guardian]
  • The Hong Kong Alliance organized the city's annual Victoria Park candlelight vigil commemorating the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown for three decades before it was banned.[PBS NewsHour · The Guardian · Associated Press]
  • Officials from the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, and the European Union condemned the verdict, whereas Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee and local police argued the ruling properly addressed acts endangering national security.[PBS NewsHour · The Guardian]

What remains uncertain

  • The final sentence lengths for Lee, Chow, and Ho have not yet been determined, pending upcoming mitigation hearings and formal sentencing by the court.[PBS NewsHour · The Guardian]
  • It remains unconfirmed whether Lee and Chow will lodge formal legal appeals against the guilty verdicts.[PBS NewsHour]

Sources