Hong Kong Court to Conclude Trial of Tiananmen Vigil Organizers
Hong Kong court to hear closing arguments in Tiananmen activists' trial
Hindustan Times
Image: Hindustan Times
A Hong Kong court is set to hear closing arguments in the trial of democracy activists Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung, charged with 'incitement to subversion' for organizing Tiananmen Square vigils. The trial has drawn international condemnation as an attempt to suppress historical memory, with both activists facing potential sentences of up to 10 years in prison.
- 01Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung have been in custody since 2021 and face charges under the national security law.
- 02The trial, which began in January 2023, included 22 days of proceedings with video evidence from past vigils and protests.
- 03The Hong Kong Alliance, founded in 1989, has been central to commemorating the Tiananmen Square crackdown and advocating for democracy.
- 04Chow Hang-tung described the trial as 'absurd,' highlighting the reversal of roles where the plaintiff becomes the defendant.
- 05A third defendant, Albert Ho, a former lawmaker, pleaded guilty earlier in the trial.
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The Hong Kong court is expected to hear closing arguments in the trial of democracy activists Lee Cheuk-yan (69) and Chow Hang-tung (41), who face national security charges for organizing vigils commemorating the Tiananmen Square crackdown in 1989. Both activists are charged with 'incitement to subversion', which could result in a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. The trial has been widely criticized by organizations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch as an effort to suppress historical remembrance. The proceedings, which began in January 2023, included 22 days of testimony and video evidence of the defendants' past activism. The Hong Kong Alliance, which organized these vigils for over three decades, was founded in response to the pro-democracy movement in Beijing. Chow, representing herself, expressed that the trial is absurd, noting the irony that the Alliance, which advocated for justice, is now being prosecuted. A third defendant, Albert Ho, has already pleaded guilty, adding to the trial's complexity and implications for civil liberties in Hong Kong.
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The outcome of this trial could set a precedent for future activism in Hong Kong, potentially stifling public commemorations of historical events and limiting freedom of expression.
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