Trial Begins for Hong Kong Alliance Leaders Amid National Security Law
On Thursday, Hong Kong’s government, seen as a puppet of Beijing, initiated a trial under China’s stringent national security law targeting the leaders of a group that organized candlelight vigils to commemorate the Tiananmen Square massacre of 1989.
The Hong Kong Alliance, known for its grassroots support of the democratic movement in China, has been a vocal advocate for political reform and the release of political prisoners since its establishment over three decades ago.
For years, the Alliance held candlelight vigils in Victoria Park, drawing tens of thousands of participants, until the COVID-19 pandemic prompted the government to prohibit them, a ban which initially came about in 2002.
The Chinese government has sought to suppress these vigils due to its heavily censored version of history, which essentially denies the occurrence of the Tiananmen protests. Following the implementation of a strict national security law in 2020 aimed at quelling a significant pro-democracy wave in Hong Kong, authorities found it easier to eliminate the candlelight gatherings.
This law criminalizes any expression of dissent towards the Communist Party, with the Alliance’s leaders, Mr. Chou Hangdong and Mr. Li Cheyan, facing court charges for allegedly “inciting subversion” by encouraging actions meant to undermine state power.
If convicted, Chow and Lee could each face up to a decade in prison. The Alliance had previously been disbanded in 2021 under considerable pressure, resulting in arrests of several members for violating the vigil ban.
Chow, a 40-year-old lawyer, has been detained for over 1,500 days. He previously managed to overturn a conviction related to “collusion with a foreign power,” a charge frequently levied against activists. Unfortunately, recent attempts to dismiss the new subversion charges were unsuccessful.
Meanwhile, Mr. Lee, 68, a former legislator and union leader, has also faced a lengthy detention. He was convicted in 2024 for participating in an unauthorized assembly.
Albert Ho, another Alliance leader charged alongside Chow and Lee, has pleaded guilty and opted out of participating in the current trial.
Global human rights organizations are urging courts to dismiss the charges against Chow, Lee, and Ho, viewing these proceedings as politically motivated.
Sarah Brooks from Amnesty International stated, “This case is less about national security and more about rewriting history and punishing those who remember Tiananmen.” Human Rights Watch echoed these sentiments, emphasizing that Hong Kong authorities seem determined to stifle dissenting voices.
A coalition of human rights groups has called on British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to advocate for the release of political prisoners—including Chow, Lee, and the imprisoned British media tycoon Jimmy Lai—during his upcoming visit to Beijing.
