Hong Kong court to hand down sentences for Tiananmen vigil leaders on Friday

On Friday, Chow Hang-tung, Lee Cheuk-yan and Albert Ho will be sentenced at the West Kowloon Law Courts Building after being found guilty of inciting subversion under Hong Kong’s national security law. All three were senior figures in the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, the group that arranged yearly Tiananmen vigils in Victoria Park until authorities barred the events in 2020 and 2021.

Chow and Lee, both former lawmakers, entered not guilty pleas and have remained in custody since September 2021. Albert Ho, also a former lawmaker, pleaded guilty at the start of his trial, initially received bail, but was remanded in March 2023 for violating bail terms. The Alliance itself was dissolved in September 2021 and was convicted alongside Chow and Lee last month. Each defendant now faces a maximum penalty of ten years behind bars.