Tiananmen Square vigil organizers convicted of 'inciting subversion' in Hong Kong
Two former leaders of the Hong Kong Alliance, Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung, have been convicted of inciting subversion under Hong Kong's national security law. The court ruled that their calls to 'end one-party dictatorship' constituted an attempt to undermine the Chinese Communist Party's leadership.
Why it matters
The verdict underscores the ongoing erosion of political dissent and freedom of expression in Hong Kong under the current legal framework.
Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung, former leaders of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, were charged in 2021 with inciting subversion under the national security law. They both had pleaded not guilty and face a maximum prison term of 10 years. The alliance was also found guilty.
The three judges ruled that the alliance's call to "end one-party dictatorship" did not aim to demand that the ruling Communist Party return to the system of multiparty co-operation under the constitution, but to end its leadership status under the constitution. They said the "end" in the phrase carried the meaning of "overthrowing" and "undermining."
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