(Aug 21): A Hong Kong court convicted two former organisers of the city’s annual Tiananmen Square vigils of inciting subversion, in a closely watched test of the national security law imposed by Beijing.

The Court of First Instance found Lee Cheuk-yan, 69, and Chow Hang-tung, 41, guilty on Friday over the Hong Kong Alliance’s longstanding call to “end one-party rule”. 

They face up to 10 years in prison. The sentences will be determined at a later date.

Prosecutors had argued that the alliance’s advocacy sought to incite others to overthrow the leadership of China’s Communist Party through unlawful means. Both defendants denied the charge, with Lee saying his desire for political reform stemmed from love rather than hostility towards the country.

The now-disbanded group, known officially as the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, organised candlelight gatherings in Victoria Park for three decades to commemorate the Chinese military’s 1989 crackdown on protesters, in which soldiers killed hundreds — and possibly thousands — of people in central Beijing.

Lee, a veteran labour activist and former lawmaker, and Chow, a barrister who represented herself, have been detained since 2021. Hong Kong officials say the security law restored stability and protects lawful rights and freedoms.

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