Hong Kong Vigil Organizer Reframes One‑Party Rule Demand as Democratization in Court
Updated (4 articles)
Trial Opens Under National Security Law With Mixed Pleas Chow Hang‑tung and Lee Cheuk‑yan appeared in court charged with inciting subversion, while Albert Ho entered a guilty plea, a strategy that may lower his sentence [2][3][4]. The defendants face up to ten years imprisonment and the trial is slated to run about 75 days [2][3]. All three have been detained since 2021, reflecting the prolonged legal pressure on the former alliance leaders [3][4].
Prosecutors Cite “End One‑Party Rule” Slogan as Constitutional Subversion Opening statements argue the Alliance’s slogan “bring the one‑party rule to an end” violates China’s constitution and seeks to dismantle Beijing’s political system [2][3][4]. The prosecution links the slogan to activities such as a museum on the 1989 crackdown, portraying it as a coordinated effort to overthrow the state [2]. Chow countered in court, insisting the demand targets the party’s monopoly rather than the Communist Party itself, framing it as a call for democratization [1].
Alliance’s Three‑Decade Vigil History Provides Context The Hong Kong Alliance organized the annual Tiananmen Square vigil for 30 years, drawing tens of thousands before the event was banned during the COVID‑19 pandemic and later replaced by a pro‑Beijing carnival [1]. The group disbanded in September 2021 after its leaders were prosecuted under the national security law, marking a turning point for organized pro‑democracy activity [1][4]. Observers view the vigil’s disappearance as emblematic of a broader erosion of civil liberties in the city [1][4].
Legal Landscape Shifts After 2025 Conviction Overturns Hong Kong’s top court overturned the trio’s 2023 convictions in March 2025, resetting the legal backdrop for the current proceedings [4]. Government officials maintain that the security‑law enforcement is evidence‑based and lawful, while rights groups argue the case also aims to rewrite historical memory [3][4]. The outcome will influence future prosecutions of activists linked to the Alliance and the broader crackdown on dissent [1][2].
Sources
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1.
AP Hong Kong vigil organizer says demand for ending one‑party rule aimed at democratization: Highlights Chow’s courtroom argument that the Alliance’s goal is democratization, not overthrowing the Communist Party, and notes the broader crackdown context .
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2.
AP Hong Kong Tiananmen vigil organizers plead not guilty; one pleads guilty: Details the not‑guilty pleas of Chow and Lee, Albert Ho’s guilty plea, and prosecutors’ claim the group seeks to end one‑party rule .
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3.
BBC Hong Kong Tiananmen activists go on trial under national security law: Reports the trial of the three activists, the prosecution’s focus on the slogan as subversive, and Amnesty International’s critique of historical repression .
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4.
AP HK trial begins for Tiananmen vigil organizers under national security law: Notes the expected guilty plea by Ho, the 2025 overturning of earlier convictions, and observers linking the vigil’s disappearance to civil‑liberties decline .
Timeline
June 4, 1989 – The Chinese government violently suppresses pro‑democracy demonstrators in Tiananmen Square, an event that later inspires the creation of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, founded that same year to commemorate the victims and demand accountability[2].
2019 – Massive pro‑democracy protests sweep Hong Kong, prompting Beijing to tighten political control and lay the groundwork for the sweeping national‑security regime that later targets the Alliance’s activities[4].
July 2020 – Hong Kong’s national security law takes effect, dramatically expanding penalties for dissent and giving authorities the legal basis to ban public Tiananmen vigils under Covid‑19 restrictions[1].
2020 – The government halts all Tiananmen remembrance gatherings; the annual vigil, which had drawn tens of thousands for three decades, is officially prohibited[1].
September 2021 – Facing prosecution under the security law, the Hong Kong Alliance votes to disband, marking a turning point in organized pro‑democracy activism in the city[2].
2021 – Prominent Alliance figures Chow Hang‑tung, Lee Cheuk‑yan and Albert Ho are arrested and placed in custody, beginning a prolonged detention that lasts until their 2026 trial[1][3].
2023 – The three activists are convicted of inciting subversion, a verdict that underscores the law’s use to silence dissenting voices in Hong Kong[4].
March 2025 – Hong Kong’s top court overturns the 2023 convictions of Chow, Lee and Ho, resetting the legal backdrop and raising hopes for a more favorable outcome in the pending case[4].
Jan 21, 2026 – The national‑security trial of Chow Hang‑tung and Lee Cheuk‑yan officially begins; Albert Ho is expected to plead guilty, a move that could influence sentencing considerations[4].
Jan 22, 2026 – Albert Ho pleads guilty as the trial opens; prosecutors argue the Alliance’s slogan “bring the one‑party rule to an end” subverts China’s constitution, while the court schedules a 75‑day hearing that could carry up to ten years in prison for each defendant[3].
Jan 22, 2026 – Chow Hang‑tung and Lee Cheuk‑yan enter not‑guilty pleas; opening statements label the prosecution’s claim that the Alliance’s slogan seeks to end one‑party rule as a mischaracterization of their democratic aims[1][3].
Jan 22, 2026 – Amnesty International condemns the case, stating it is “not solely about security but also about rewriting history and punishing those who remember the Tiananmen victims,” highlighting the broader assault on collective memory[1].
Jan 23, 2026 – In court, Chow Hang‑tung clarifies that the Alliance’s call to “end one‑party rule” is a push for democratization, not an attempt to overthrow the Chinese Communist Party, directly challenging the prosecution’s subversion narrative[2].