Three activists in Hong Kong, known for organizing vigils to commemorate the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown in China, have been handed prison sentences by a local court. Lee Cheuk-yan, Chow Hang-tung, and Albert Ho were found guilty of inciting subversion under the national security law imposed by Beijing earlier this year. Lee and Chow, despite pleading not guilty, received seven years and seven years plus three months in prison, respectively. Ho was sentenced to five years plus two months, a shorter term than his co-accused due to his guilty plea.
The trio was charged in September 2021 and has been in custody for years. Hong Kong, once characterized by a lively civil society with large-scale protests and a vibrant press, has seen a decline in civil liberties. The annual vigil they organized drew tens of thousands of people, symbolizing the freedoms enjoyed under the “one country, two systems” principle after the handover from Britain in 1997.
Following the 2019 protest movement, authorities in Hong Kong restricted public election choices, targeted leaders of critical news outlets, and imprisoned numerous activists under the security law, causing the dissolution of many civil society groups. Beijing defends the security law as essential for maintaining stability.
These sentences are part of a series of high-profile penalties under the security law, including the 20-year sentence handed to former media tycoon Jimmy Lai in February. The crackdown on dissent in Hong Kong continues to draw international attention.
