A Hong Kong court sentenced three activists who organized Tiananmen Square massacre remembrance events to prison terms between 5 and 7 years. They face a maximum sentence of 10 years. The case is seen as reflecting the state of freedom in Hong Kong.
On 11 Sep 2026 GMT+7, a Hong Kong court sentenced three activists—Lee Cheuk-yan, Chow Hang-tung, and Albert Ho—leaders who organized annual commemorations of the Tiananmen Square crackdown in Beijing in 1989, to prison terms.
The court sentenced Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung, both of whom pleaded not guilty, to 7 years and 7 years 3 months respectively. Albert Ho, a former legislative council member who pleaded guilty in January, was sentenced to 5 years 2 months.
Reports indicate the three are former leaders of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, which organized candlelight vigils commemorating Tiananmen for three decades. Their event was the only large-scale public remembrance allowed in China. In August, the court found them guilty of inciting subversion under the national security law imposed by Beijing on Hong Kong.
The memorial events were held annually at Victoria Park in Hong Kong, attracting tens of thousands for decades. In 2020, authorities banned the vigil citing COVID-19 restrictions. The vigil was regarded as a symbol of civil liberties distinguishing Hong Kong from mainland China.
Following large protests in Hong Kong in 2019, authorities curtailed electoral options and prosecuted leaders and media critical of the government. Numerous key activists have been imprisoned under the national security law, and dozens of civil society groups, including the Hong Kong Alliance, have ceased operations.
Source: South China Morning Post