Hong Kong Activists Convicted; Alliance Dissolved

Hong Kong prosecutors convicted two former leaders of the Tiananmen vigil network, Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung, of inciting subversion under the national security law, with Albert Ho having pleaded guilty earlier. The verdicts come as the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China has been dissolved, and the group’s Tiananmen vigil campaigns have effectively ended since 2019. Prosecutors say their calls to “end one-party dictatorship” amounted to unlawful means to subvert state power; supporters say the convictions criminalize peaceful remembrance and democracy advocacy. The defendants face up to 10 years in prison. International governments and human rights groups condemned the trials as politically motivated, while authorities defend them as upholding national security. The case underscores how commemorative activity linked to pro-democracy organizing has become criminal under Beijing's security framework.