Following a trial that has received international censure, a Hong Kong court on Friday sentenced three Tiananmen vigil activists to five to seven years in prison for national security charges. Since their initial charges in 2021, Albert Ho, 74, Chow Hang-tung, 41, and Lee Cheuk-yan, 69, have been incarcerated. The United Nations, human rights organisations, and foreign countries have condemned their sentences, which were handed out under a broad national security measure imposed on Hong Kong by Beijing.
In August, a court declared that the activists’ demands for an “end to one-party dictatorship” violated the Chinese constitution. After entering not guilty pleas, Lee and Chow received prison terms of seven years and seven years and three months, respectively. Ho, a former politician, was sentenced to five years and two months after entering a guilty plea in January.
Before taking their seats in the dock, the three campaigners grinned and waved to supporters as they arrived at the court.When Beijing used troops and tanks to put an end to protests calling for political reform around Tiananmen Square on June 4, 1989, only Hong Kong and Macau were allowed to hold public vigils in remembrance of the victims.
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