By Jessie Pang

HONG KONG, (Reuters) – A Hong Kong court sentenced a 36 year-old lawyer to 15 months imprisonment on Tuesday. He was accused of inciting an unauthorised gathering to remember those who were killed in China’s 1989 crackdown against pro-democracy protesters gathered around Beijing’s Tiananmen Square.

Chow Hang–tung, an activist of the Hong Kong Alliance in support of Patriotic Democratic Movements China (since-disbanded), was taken into custody just before the anniversary of last year’s crackdown.

For the past two years, Hong Kong police have prohibited Tiananmen Vigils. They cited coronavirus restrictions.

However, many protesters saw the bans as an effort to stop defiance against Beijing after 2019’s mass pro-democracy demonstrations. The authorities denied this.

In spite of the ban, many lit candles in the streets of the city in 2020. Smaller crowds also did so in 2021.

Chow was charged with posting on social media “Lighting candle isn’t a crime. Stand one’s Ground” as well as her Ming Pao newspaper article “Candlelight bears the weight conscience. Hong Kongers persevere in telling truth.”

Amy Chan, Magistrate at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Court, stated that the article and the posts were designed to “encourage, persuade or make suggestions to” members of public. It also “amounted to encouraging others to participate in an unauthorised assembly.”

Chan stated that the assembly was a “public health risk”.

Chow, representing herself, had plead not guilty. Chow stated she wanted “incite others to not forget June4”, not to promote a gathering. Chan stated that she thought the argument was “simply absurd” and added Chow’s academic credentials would have enabled her to write more clearly.

Chow, who was in tears after hearing the verdict, said that “it can be presected that the public space for June 4 discussion will disappear altogether.” “Tyranny’s greedy and red lines will continue expanding.

For their involvement in the 2020 vigil, eight pro-democracy activists got sentences up to fourteen months. Chow was one of them and received a 12-month sentence.

Chow will serve only 10 months for the five months she was sentenced to on Tuesday.

MUSEUM CLOSED, STATEMENTS REMOVED

16 other activists have already been sentenced to 4-10 month sentences for their involvement in the 2020 Vigil. Sunny Cheung (a democracy activist) and Nathan Law (a politician), were both arrested in the same case.

Chow is also facing charges for inciting subversion in accordance with a broad security law that Beijing imposed in 2020. Police accused the Alliance of being an agent of foreign forces, which it denied. The Alliance was disbanded during that investigation.

The largest annual June 4 vigil is held in this former British colony. China returned in 1997 to British rule with promises of broad-ranging freedoms.

However, commemorations are becoming more difficult. The global financial hub’s top universities removed Tiananmen monuments last month. These included the Pillar of Shame at the University of Hong Kong, and the Goddess of Democracy at Chinese University.

Police raided the June 4, museum in the Alliance investigation and closed it. The online version is not available in Hong Kong.

China never gave a complete account of 1989’s crackdown. Officials gave a death toll of 300. Most were soldiers. However, rights groups and witnesses claim that thousands more may have died.