Mon Nov 03 09:55:10 UTC 2025: News Article:
Hong Kong Court Upholds Indictment of Tiananmen Vigil Organizer, Chow Hang-tung
Hong Kong – November 3, 2025 – A Hong Kong court today rejected a bid by former Tiananmen vigil organizer Chow Hang-tung to dismiss her indictment under the National Security Law. The decision paves the way for a landmark case widely viewed as another step in the crackdown on Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement.
Chow, former vice-chairperson of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Democratic Patriotic Movements of China, faces charges of inciting subversion, which carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. The charges stem from the group’s organization of the annual Tiananmen vigil, which commemorated the 1989 crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in Beijing. The vigil was banned in 2020.
Prosecutors accuse Chow, along with fellow former leaders Albert Ho and Lee Cheuk-yan, of inciting others to challenge the leadership of the Communist Party through unlawful means. Chow, acting as her own counsel, argued that the indictment was overly vague.
The three-judge panel overseeing the case disagreed, setting the stage for a trial slated to begin on January 22nd. A written opinion from the panel is expected in January.
Amnesty International condemned the court’s decision, accusing authorities of “weaponizing” national security laws to suppress freedom of expression. The Hong Kong government maintains that the security law has restored stability to the city after the 2019 protests.
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