A Hong Kong court yesterday rejected a former Tiananmen vigil organizer’s attempt to quash her indictment, pressing ahead with a landmark case widely seen as part of a yearslong crackdown on the city’s pro-democracy movement.
Chow Hang-tung, a former leader of the group that organized a decades-old vigil, was charged in 2021 with inciting subversion, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years. She was charged together with two of the group’s other former leaders, Albert Ho and Lee Cheuk-yan.
The trio were accused of inciting others to challenge the leadership of the Communist Party in 2019 by unlawful means.
Chow, who is a barrister and is defending herself, argued that the indictment was unacceptably broad and vague because authorities did not specify an unlawful means. She said it could amount to a “catch-all charge.”
Judge Alex Lee remarked during the hearing that the charge was broad, but not vague.
Prosecutor Ned Lai argued that unlawful means meant those against the Chinese constitution.
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