Pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong sentenced up to 14 months over Tiananmen vigil
Eight pro-democracy activists were sentenced to prison for up to 14 months over their involvement in a vigil last year that honored those who were killed in 1989 during the Tiananmen Square crackdown in China.
Media mogul Jimmy Lai, 74, was sentenced to 13 months in prison, barrister Chow Hang-tung, 36, was sentenced to 12 years and activist Gwyneth Ho, 31, received a six-month sentence, according to Reuters. A court found all three guilty of their charges on Thursday.
Hong Kong typically holds a large vigil on June 4, but police reportedly rejected applications for the previous two events because of COVID-19 restrictions. Critics of the police's decision said the government was wrongly pointing to the pandemic as grounds for not holding the vigil, but the city government turned down that argument, according to Reuters.
Judge Amanda Woodcock said those charged "ignored and belittled a genuine public health crisis" and "wrongly and arrogantly believed" in paying tribute on June 4 instead of safeguarding the health of others in the area, according to Reuters.
Lai, who was already in jail, Chow and Ho all pleaded not guilty to the charges against them, Reuters noted. Five other defendants pleaded guilty.
Lai, in a handwritten mitigation letter penned before his sentencing, welcomed the punishment for commemorating the victims of the Tiananmen Square crackdown.
"If commemorate (sic) those who died because of injustice is a crime, then inflict on me that crime and let me suffer the punishment of this crime, so I may share the burden and glory of those young men and women who shed their blood on June 4th to proclaim truth, justice and goodness," Lai said, according to Reuters.
Chow in her mitigation letter said the prosecution of her and others "breathe new life into the movement, rallying a new generation to this long struggle for truth, justice and democracy."
"If those in power had wished to kill the movement with prosecution and imprisonment, they shall be sorely disappointed," she added, according to Reuters.
Sixteen other activists were already sentenced to between four and 10 months for their connection to the vigil last year, according to Reuters.
Lai was sentenced to 14 months in prison in May for helping to organize an unauthorized pro-democracy rally in Hong Kong in October 2019.
He was also sentenced to a year in prison in April of this year for attending two peaceful protests in 2019.
