Jimmy Lai among 3 HK activists convicted over Tiananmen vigil

HONG KONG • Jailed Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai was among three democracy campaigners convicted yesterday over their participation in a banned Tiananmen vigil, as the prosecution of multiple activists came to a conclusion.

Lai, the 74-year-old owner of the now-shuttered pro-democracy Apple Daily newspaper, was found guilty of unlawful assembly charges alongside former journalist Gwyneth Ho and prominent rights lawyer Chow Hang-tung.

The authorities had charged over two dozen pro-democracy politicians and activists over a vigil last year that commemorated the victims of Beijing's deadly Tiananmen crackdown in 1989 despite a police ban.

The trio were the only ones to contest their charges in court, arguing that they went to light candles in a personal capacity and had not "incited" others to join an outlawed rally.

At one point, Chow, a trained barrister who represented herself in court, likened her actions to "tank man" - the person who famously stood in front of a Chinese tank during the Tiananmen crackdown and became an icon.

But District Court Judge Amanda Woodcock dismissed those arguments as "frankly nonsensical" and convicted the trio of charges including inciting and taking part in an unauthorised assembly.

"The reality was, any intention to come out and participate in the candlelight vigil in Victoria Park that night was an act of defiance and protest against the police," Judge Woodcock ruled.

Amnesty International described the verdicts as the latest "attack on the rights to freedom of expression and assembly" in Hong Kong and said the authorities had criminalised a "peaceful, socially distanced vigil".

Lai, Chow and Ho are among dozens of activists already behind bars who face separate prosecutions under a national security law that Beijing imposed on Hong Kong last year following huge and often violent pro-democracy protests in 2019.

For three decades, Hong Kong's annual June 4 candlelight vigil would attract tens of thousands of people, and with its slogans for democracy and ending one-party rule in China, it became a symbol for the political freedoms enjoyed in the city.

But the Hong Kong authorities have banned the last two vigils, citing both the coronavirus pandemic and security fears. This year, Beijing made it clear it would no longer tolerate Tiananmen commemorations in Hong Kong or Macau, the only two places within China where public remembrance could take place.

Meanwhile, at least four prominent activists who fled overseas have begun openly calling for residents to boycott the city's upcoming legislative polls, defying the national security law that criminalises incitement - even for those based abroad.

Hong Kong's political elite will select a 90-seat lawmaking body on Dec 19 under a new "patriots only" system. Only 20 seats will now be directly elected - down from half the last time polls were held - while all those standing for office must first be vetted for their patriotism and political loyalty. Most of Hong Kong's traditional pro-democracy opposition figures have been jailed, barred from standing, declined to take part or fled overseas.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE