A Hong Kong court sentenced three activists, Lee Cheuk-yan, Chow Hang-tung, and Albert Ho, to prison for terms ranging from five to over seven years on Friday under a Beijing-imposed national security law. The trio was convicted of inciting subversion for organizing vigils in remembrance of China's 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown. Lee and Chow were given sentences of seven years and seven years plus three months, respectively, while Ho received five years plus two months due to his guilty plea. This is the latest high-profile penalty imposed under the security law, with the activists planning to appeal their convictions.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-11,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
A Hong Kong court sentenced three pro-democracy activists to prison terms ranging from five to seven years under the city's national security law. The activists, Lee Cheuk-yan, Chow Hang-tung, and Albert Ho, were convicted of "incitement to subversion" for their roles in organizing annual vigils marking China's deadly 1989 Tiananmen crackdown. Lee and Chow were sentenced to seven years, while Ho received five years and two months after pleading guilty. The trio was part of the now-disbanded Hong Kong Alliance, which had organized massive protests and vigils in Victoria Park for three decades. The sentences have drawn international condemnation from the United Nations, human rights organizations, and foreign governments, who say they are a sign of Beijing's crackdown on dissent in Hong Kong.
Written for “Hong Kong Tiananmen Activists Sentenced” on 2026-09-12,
grounded in this article and the 4 other(s) covering the same event.
More Tiananmen vigil activists sentenced to prison in Hong Kong security case
The 3 activists were convicted under a Beijing-imposed national security law
A Hong Kong court sentenced three activists — who for years organized vigils in remembrance of China's 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown — to prison for terms ranging from five to more than seven years on Friday in a case that is widely seen as a barometer of the city's freedoms as Beijing clamps down on dissent.
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Beijing → sentence → dissent
Lee Cheuk-yan, Chow Hang-tung and Albert Ho were convicted of inciting subversion earlier this year under a Beijing-imposed national security law.
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yan → convict → law
Lee and Chow, who pleaded not guilty, received prison terms of seven years, and seven years plus three months.
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who → plead → years
Ho was given five years plus two months, lower than his co-defendants partly because of his guilty plea.
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Ho → give → plea
The trio of defendants was charged in September 2021 and has been held in custody for years.
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trio → charge → years
Hong Kong once had a vibrant civil society marked by massive protests and a freewheeling press scene.
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Kong → have → protests
For three decades, the vigil was the only large-scale, public commemoration in China that drew tens of thousands of people annually.
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that → draw → people
It symbolized the civil liberties Hong Kong enjoyed under Beijing's "one country, two systems" governing principle after Britain handed the former colony back to China in 1997.
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Britain → symbolize → 1997
Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong pleads guilty in 2nd national security case
Tiananmen Square vigil organizers convicted of 'inciting subversion' in Hong Kong
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organizers → plead → Kong
But after a 2019 protest movement rocked the city, authorities reduced public choice in elections and prosecuted leaders of news outlets known for their critical reports of the government.
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authorities → rock → government
Many leading activists were imprisoned under the security law, and dozens of civil society groups dissolved, including the alliance.
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dozens → lead → alliance
Beijing says the law is necessary to maintain stability.
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law → say → stability
The sentences for the Tiananmen activists are the latest high-profile penalties imposed under the security law.
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sentences → impose → law
In February, former pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
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Lai → sentence → prison
Appeals planned
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Appeals → plan → ?
After the sentencing, Lee's wife Elizabeth Tang told reporters that Lee had been prepared for the worst and looked calm.
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Lee → tell → worst
Tang said he would appeal against the results.
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he → say → results
Tang said there's no freedom of speech in Hong Kong and the sentences would shock and anger many people.
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sentences → say → people
She said millions of people attended or supported the candlelight vigil.
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millions → say → vigil
It's very hard to accept," she said.
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she → accept → ?
Chow's mother Medina Chow Lau Wah-chun joked that she had to thank those who had prosecuted the defendants for helping to write the truth of the 1989 crackdown and what happened in Hong Kong in recent years into the court records.
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what → joke → records
"Many years ago, my daughter already said that she wants to have a proper debate with them one day," she said.
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she → say → them
Chow's friend Lau Ka-yee said Chow also would appeal.
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Chow → say → ?
Chow, who represented herself, earlier said the verdict suggested that pursuing democracy is a crime, and that she did not deserve even one day in prison.
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she → represent → prison
Three government-approved judges said the defendants had committed a serious offence.
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defendants → approve → offence
The court previously found that their organization's longtime demand to "end one-party dictatorship" implied an intent to overthrow or undermine the ruling Communist Party's leadership.
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demand → find → leadership
In handing down the sentence, the judges noted the case did not involve violence or threats of violence and the group never proposed means or a timetable to carry out their demand.
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group → hand → demand
But they said the defendants' offence occurred during a turbulent social atmosphere and that posed greater risk to national security.
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offence → say → security
The ruling insisted the defendants were not being tried because of their political views.
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defendants → insist → views
"Even when the defendants believed their agenda of ‘end one-party dictatorship' might breach the constitution and the national security law, they acted recalcitrantly after the national security law took effect and vigorously promoted their cause," they wrote.
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they → believe → cause
