Hong Kong Tiananmen activists Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung have been found guilty of inciting subversion over their roles in organising annual vigils commemorating the victims of the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown. They face up to 10 years in prison, with sentencing to take place later.

The verdict was delivered on Friday by a three-judge panel designated under Hong Kong's national security framework. Former lawmaker and activist Albert Ho, who was also charged in the case, pleaded guilty earlier and will be sentenced separately.

LAST UPDATED: 21 AUGUST 2026 | 9:20 AM IST

1. Activists Found Guilty

Lee, 69, and Chow, 41, were convicted of inciting subversion in a case centred on their activities with the now-disbanded Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China.

The prosecution argued that the Alliance's advocacy, including its long-standing call to “end one-party rule” in China, amounted to incitement to undermine China's constitutional order.

The defence rejected that interpretation, arguing that the defendants were exercising freedom of expression and promoting democratic principles rather than advocating unlawful action.

2. Sentence Still Pending

Friday's ruling established guilt but did not immediately determine the punishment.

The offence carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. The sentencing hearing for Lee and Chow is expected at a later date, while Ho, who pleaded guilty, will also be sentenced separately.

The case therefore remains legally active despite the conviction.

Both Lee and Chow had been in detention since their arrests in September 2021. The prolonged detention became another focus of attention surrounding the trial.

3. Tiananmen Vigils at Centre

The case is closely connected to Hong Kong's decades-long tradition of holding public vigils to commemorate the victims of the June 4, 1989 crackdown in Beijing.

For more than three decades, the Hong Kong Alliance organised large candlelight gatherings at Victoria Park. Tens of thousands attended the annual events, making them one of the most prominent public commemorations of Tiananmen on Chinese territory.

The annual vigil was banned in 2020. The Alliance subsequently disbanded in 2021 after coming under increasing pressure from authorities.

4. What Prosecutors Argued

Prosecutors focused on the Alliance's political programme and public activities.

The prosecution argued that the call to end one-party rule could not be separated from an attempt to remove the Communist Party's leadership because, in the prosecution's interpretation, there was no lawful constitutional mechanism for ending that leadership.

The court ultimately accepted the prosecution's interpretation of the defendants' advocacy as incitement to subvert state power.

The case was brought under Hong Kong's national security framework introduced after the city's major 2019 protests.

5. Defence Rejects Claims

Chow, a human rights barrister who represented herself during the trial, rejected the allegation that the Alliance's activities amounted to subversion.

She argued that advocating an end to unrestricted one-party political rule was an expression of democratic principles. She also maintained that remembering those killed in the Tiananmen crackdown through peaceful commemoration could not reasonably constitute a national security offence.

Lee has likewise rejected the prosecution's interpretation of the Alliance's activities.

The defence position placed freedom of expression and historical remembrance at the centre of the case.

6. Wider Hong Kong Crackdown

The convictions are being viewed against the wider transformation of Hong Kong's political and legal environment since the 2019 pro-democracy protests.

Beijing imposed a national security law on Hong Kong in 2020, after which authorities moved against prominent opposition figures, activists and civil society organisations. The Tiananmen vigil, once a major annual public gathering, disappeared from the city's calendar.

The case has consequently attracted international attention because it involves not only individual activists but also the future of public commemoration and political expression in Hong Kong.

Human rights groups have criticised the prosecution, arguing that peaceful remembrance and political advocacy should not be treated as national security crimes.

7. What Happens Next

The immediate next step is sentencing. Lee and Chow remain at risk of prison terms of up to 10 years under the offence for which they were convicted. Albert Ho will also face sentencing after his earlier guilty plea.

The case is likely to remain under international scrutiny because the annual Tiananmen vigils had been a distinctive feature of Hong Kong's public life for decades.

The convictions also underline the increasingly restricted space for public discussion of the 1989 crackdown and opposition politics in the city.

WHY THIS MATTERS

The conviction of Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung marks a significant development in Hong Kong's national security cases because the prosecution centred on political advocacy, public commemoration and the activities of an organisation that for decades organised Tiananmen vigils.

The verdict means that two prominent organisers of one of Hong Kong's longest-running public memorial traditions now face possible lengthy prison sentences.

The broader dispute remains over whether calls for political reform and remembrance of Tiananmen can be treated as threats to national security.