A court in Hong Kong has handed down prison sentences to three activists who have been organizing vigils in memory of China’s 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown. The activists, Lee Cheuk-yan, Chow Hang-tung, and Albert Ho, were found guilty of inciting subversion earlier this year under a national security law imposed by Beijing.
Lee and Chow, who pleaded not guilty, received seven-year and seven-year-three-month prison terms, respectively. Ho was sentenced to five years and two months, which was lower than his co-accused due to his guilty plea.
The trio was charged in September 2021 and has been in custody since then. Hong Kong, known for its vibrant civil society and protests, has seen a decline in freedoms following a 2019 protest movement. The city’s once-thriving press scene has also faced restrictions.
The annual vigil in remembrance of the Tiananmen Square events was a significant event symbolizing Hong Kong’s civil liberties under the “one country, two systems” policy. However, with the implementation of the security law, many activists and civil society groups have faced legal action and dissolution.
The recent sentences are part of a series of high-profile penalties imposed under the security law, with notable figures like former media tycoon Jimmy Lai also facing lengthy prison terms. Despite the harsh sentences, appeals are planned, with family members and supporters expressing disappointment over the lack of freedom of speech in Hong Kong.
The court emphasized that the activists were not prosecuted for their political beliefs but for actions deemed to threaten national security. The judges highlighted the absence of violence in the activists’ actions but noted the social unrest climate as a contributing factor to the severity of the sentences.