Hong Kong Convicts Tiananmen Vigil Organisers Under National Security Law
Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung were found guilty of inciting the overthrow of China's leadership through their roles in organising annual commemorations.
Hong Kong1 min read
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A Hong Kong court convicted Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung on 20 August 2026 of inciting the overthrow of China's leadership.
The charges arose from their organisation of the annual Tiananmen Square vigil under the national security law. Both had been prominent figures in the now-disbanded Alliance that coordinated the candlelight gatherings in Victoria Park for decades.
The convictions follow a series of national security cases that have reshaped civil society organisations in the city. Prosecutors argued that the vigils carried a political message aimed at the central government. Defence lawyers maintained that the events were peaceful commemorations of historical events.
Sentencing is expected at a later date. The outcome adds to the body of case law defining the boundaries of permitted assembly and speech under the security legislation introduced in 2020.
International human rights groups criticised the verdicts. Hong Kong authorities have stated that the law is necessary to safeguard national security and that the courts applied it according to the facts presented.
