Hong Kong trial of Tiananmen vigil organizers hears final arguments

Human Rights Research Center
May 20
4 min read

May 20, 2026

HRRC urges Hong Kong and Chinese authorities to uphold freedoms of speech, assembly, and political participation throughout the ongoing trial of former Hong Kong Alliance organizers. We are concerned by the continued use of national security legislation against pro-democracy activists and public commemorations, and call for the protection of civil liberties and fair legal proceedings.

Thousands gather in Hong Kong for a candlelight vigil on the 30th anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown on June 4, 2019. [Image source: Tyrone Siu/Reuters]

A Hong Kong court began hearing final arguments on Monday, May 18, in the national security trial of Chow Hang-tung and Lee Cheuk-yan, two former leaders of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China. The pair were charged in 2021 with inciting subversion under Beijing’s national security law imposed on Hong Kong.

The case centers on annual commemorations of the victims of China’s 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown. The crackdown followed weeks of student-led pro-democracy protests in Beijing, where demonstrators called for political reform, greater freedoms, and an end to elite government corruption.

Chinese authorities subsequently declared martial law and deployed military forces into Beijing, where troops used live ammunition and armored vehicles against crowds attempting to block military access to Tiananmen Square. Hundreds, and possibly thousands, of people were killed during the crackdown, though Chinese authorities have never released a full account of the deaths and continue to heavily censor public discussion surrounding the events.

Following the incident, Hong Kong became one of only places in China where public Tiananmen commemorations were permitted. The advocacy group Hong Kong Alliance, formed during the 1989 protests, have organized annual candlelight vigils in Victoria Park each June 4 for three decades. The gatherings drew thousands of participants and became some of Hong Kong’s most prominent pro-democracy events.

Following large anti-government protests in Hong Kong in 2019, Beijing imposed a national security law on the city that expanded authorities’ power to target acts deemed subversive or threatening to national security. Authorities banned the annual vigils, and activists connected to the commemorations increasingly faced arrests and detentions under security-related laws. Chow, the alliance’s former vice chairwoman, was among several members arrested in 2021, and the alliance later dissolved after all of the committee members were either jailed or taken into custody.

The current trial centers on whether the alliance’s advocacy and activities constituted unlawful subversion. Prosecutors have argued that the alliance’s calls to end China’s “one-party rule” represented attempts to incite subversion against the Chinese Communist Party. During final arguments on May 18, prosecutor Ned Lai stated that freedoms of speech, assembly, and association are not absolute rights. Prosecutors accused the defendants of using human rights arguments to blur the line between lawful political advocacy and subversion.

Meanwhile, the defense argued that prosecutors failed to provide evidence showing that the alliance encouraged illegal acts or violence throughout its decades of activism. Lee previously told the court that advocating an end to one-party rule did not amount to calling for the violent removal of China’s government, but instead reflected support for democratic participation and the public’s right to choose their leadership. Chow argued that her activism aimed to encourage public understanding of democratic movements in mainland China rather than incite hatred or unlawful action.

Human rights organizations and international observers have raised concerns regarding the case and the increasing enforcement by Chinese authorities of national security measures in Hong Kong. Sarah Brooks, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for China, criticized the prosecution’s use of “vague, broad, and arbitrary definitions of subversion” and called for charges against Lee and Chow to be dropped.

The trial has drawn attention to concerns regarding civil liberties and political freedoms in Hong Kong following the implementation of national security laws in recent years. Human rights groups have warned that the broad scope of the laws could further restrict dissent, political activism, and public commemoration within the city.

Glossary

Absolute rights: human rights that can never be restricted under any circumstance, even by law or in times of war or emergency
Activism: taking direct action to bring about social, political, economic, or environmental change
Advocacy: the act of supporting or arguing for a particular cause, policy, or idea
Arbitrary: a decision made based in personal feeling or without justification instead of using reason and logic set in consistent rules
Chinese Communist Party: the current ruling party and current government of China
Civil liberties: fundamental rights and freedoms protected by law and designed to protect citizens from unjust government interference or restriction
Commemoration: act of remembering, honoring, or showing respect, usually done through an event or ceremony
Custody: the state of being detained by law enforcement
Defendant: a person or entity that is being accused in a case
Detention: the act where law enforcement or official authority temporarily holds a person in custody
Dissent: act of publicly expressing disagreement with an official decision or popular belief
Final arguments: an argument made to the jury or judge in a trial by both sides of the case after all the evidence has been presented
Freedom of assembly: the right of individuals to gather peacefully and express their ideas
Freedom of speech: the right of individuals to express their opinions, ideas, and beliefs without government retaliation
Human rights: the basic freedoms and protections that belong to every human being
Implementation: putting a plan, policy, or idea into action
Incite: the act of provoking or encouraging someone to do something, often violent, illegal, or unpleasant
Martial law: temporary rule where military authority replaces civil authority
National security: the ability of a country to protect its citizens from internal and external threats
One-party rule: a system of government in which only one political party holds power
Pro-democracy: advocating or supporting a system of government where the people hold the power to make freely elect their representatives
Prosecution: the legal team representing the government that is charging the accused
Subversion: act of undermining, weakening, or overthrowing the current government or authority
Vigil: gatherings meant to honor, remember, and mourn a loss or mark an event

Sources

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Hong Kong trial of Tiananmen vigil organizers hears final arguments

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