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Fiona Chow

The stated goal of leaders of the now-disbanded group behind Hong Kong’s annual Tiananmen vigil to end one-party rule was an “empty slogan”, and they never incited anyone to overthrow the Chinese government, their defence lawyer has told judges.
The court heard on Friday that the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, its former chairman Lee Cheuk-yan, former vice-chairman Albert Ho Chun-yan and former vice-chairwoman Chow Hang-tung were merely expressing their belief in the pursuit of freedom and democracy by advocating an end to “one-party dictatorship” in mainland China.
Last week, Lee, 68, and Chow, 41, were convicted of inciting public hatred towards the Communist Party, while 74-year-old Ho earlier pleaded guilty to the same charge.
They were accused of using the annual vigils commemorating Beijing’s crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators in June 1989 to attract supporters and instigate them to take action to oust the ruling party.

Submitting oral mitigation at West Kowloon Court on Friday, defence counsel Erik Shum Sze-man, representing Lee and Ho, said bringing an end to one-party rule was an “empty slogan”, and that the alliance had never made concrete plans to realise the goal.
“Over the past 30 years, not a single person was incited by the alliance’s promotion to undermine the party. The Communist Party has been consistently stable over all these years, fulfilling its duties,” Shum said.
Founded after the 1989 crackdown, the alliance organised annual candlelight vigils in Hong Kong’s Victoria Park to mark the event and call for accountability and democratic reforms across the border. It held its last vigil in 2019.
Shum said the alliance’s stated goal of ending Communist Party rule was “theoretical and conceptual”, and that there was no clear evidence showing that anyone had taken action to subvert mainland authorities following the annual vigils.
Chow, a barrister by profession, told the court that she did not commit any wrongdoing by hoping to build a democratic China, and that expressing her beliefs through the alliance’s events was once deemed lawful.
Justice Alex Lee Wan-tang said he understood the trio wished to achieve their goals, but that their beliefs would not be condoned if they contravened the law.
He told Chow: “In criminal law terms, that means you lack remorse as you hold fast to your beliefs.”
Shum asked the court to consider the fact that Lee and Ho did not anticipate that their participation in the alliance over the years would violate the national security law, which came into effect in June 2020.

He submitted that the illegality of their actions was not evident before the present court’s judges ruled that the alliance’s advocacy had undermined the fundamental system of China under its constitution.
Their judgment last Friday noted that Article 1 of the Chinese constitution, amended in 2018, described the party’s leadership as the “defining feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics”.
But Shum said that applying the constitution to a national security trial in Hong Kong introduced a new legal perspective that had no precedent in the city.
Inciting subversion in Hong Kong carries a maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment under the national security law. Any company or organisation that commits an offence under the law can be fined, with no limit on the amount.
Shum appealed for a lenient sentence for his clients that amounted to no more than five years in prison.
While the presiding judges on Friday did not set a date for sentencing, they said it would be scheduled within two weeks.


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Hong Kong courts

Goal of Tiananmen vigil group an ‘empty slogan’, not actual plan: defence lawyer

Residents and the media gather outside West Kowloon Court ahead of oral mitigation submissions for three ex-leaders of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China. Photo: Sun Yeung

Residents queue up outside West Kowloon Court on Friday to attend the mitigation hearing. Photo: Sun Yeung

Albert Ho (left) and Lee Cheuk-yan (centre, holding microphone) at the alliance’s last vigil in 2019 at Victoria Park. Photo: Edmond So

Lee Cheuk-yan’s wife, Elizabeth Tang (centre), leaves the court building after the defence submitted oral mitigation. Photo: Sun Yeung

Mrs Chow (left), the mother of Chow Hang-tung, speaks to the media outside the court building. Photo: Sun Yeung

Beijing slams West for criticising Hong Kong court verdict in Tiananmen vigil case

A court found the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China and its former leaders guilty of attempting to undermine the country’s fundamental system under the national security law. Photo: Jelly Tse

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian has described such criticisms as interference in the nation’s internal affairs. Photo: Kyodo

Hong Kong hits back at Western ‘slander’ over verdict on Tiananmen vigil leaders

A Correctional Services Department vehicle arrives at West Kowloon Court on Friday. Photo: Handout

Former alliance vice-chairwoman Chow Hang-tung was among those convicted of inciting subversion under the national security law. Photo: Getty Images

Hong Kong Tiananmen vigil organiser, former leaders guilty of inciting subversion

Former alliance chairman Lee Cheuk-yan was among those convicted of inciting subversion under the national security law. Photo: Handout

The alliance organised annual candlelight vigils in Victoria Park to commemorate the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown. Photo: Sam Tsang

News

Hong Kong

Law and Crime

Stated goal of ending Communist Party rule reflected ex-leaders’ beliefs, but there was no actual plan to oust government, defence says


Stated goal of ending Communist Party rule reflected ex-leaders’ beliefs, but there was no actual plan to oust government, defence says.


June 4 vigil in Hong Kong

Hong Kong national security law (NSL)

China

Alex Lee Wan-tang

Goal of Tiananmen vigil group an ‘empty slogan’, not actual plan: defence lawyer

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Stated goal of ending Communist Party rule reflected ex-leaders’ beliefs, but there was no actual plan to oust government, defence says

Stated goal of ending Communist Party rule reflected ex-leaders’ beliefs, but there was no actual plan to oust government, defence says