"These convictions make a mockery of claims that the Hong Kong Government continues to uphold the Basic Law"

Today, the Hong Kong pro-democracy activist and former owner of Apple Daily newspaper, Jimmy Lai, alongside activists Gwyneth Ho and Chow Hang Tung was convicted for taking part in the annual vigil in 2020 to mark the Tiananmen Square Massacre.

The three activists were convicted for inciting and taking part in an unlawful assembly, after the Hong Kong Government banned the Tiananmen Square vigil from taking place for the first time in 30 years. The ban followed the introduction of the draconian National Security Law, which has been used to target pro-democracy activists, journalists, academic freedom, and stop peaceful assemblies in the city.

District Court Judge Amanda Woodcock said their participation "was an act of defiance and protest against the police".

Commenting on the conviction, Benedict Rogers, Hong Kong Watch’s Chief Executive, said:

“We stand with Jimmy Lai, Gwyneth Ho and Chow Hang Tung, and condemn these outrageous charges, which seek to criminalise participation in a peaceful vigil honouring the memories of the victims of the 1989 Tiananmen Square Massacre.

These convictions make a mockery of claims that the Hong Kong Government continues to uphold the Basic Law, which guarantees the right to freedom of assembly, freedom of association, and freedom of religion or belief.

It is increasingly clear that the Hong Kong Government is little more than a vassal of the Chinese Communist Party in Beijing. Lacking autonomy, decency, and common sense, it appears hell-bent on erasing Hong Kong’s autonomy, culture, and history.

The international community must respond by calling for the immediate release of Jimmy Lai and all political prisoners in Hong Kong and ensuring those responsible for the destruction of Hong Kong’s autonomy are subject to targeted Magnitsky sanctions.”

黎智英等人的定罪顯示香港政府維護《基本法》的說法實屬荒謬

今天，蘋果日報創辦人黎智英及香港民主派人士何桂藍和鄒幸彤因參與 2020 年的六四集會而被定罪。

黎智英、何桂藍及鄒幸彤被裁定煽惑他人參與未經批准的集結、明知而參與未經批准的集結罪名成立。2020年是香港政府在嚴苛的國安法生效後，30年來首次禁止進行六四燭光晚會。國安法自生效後，被用以針對香港民運人士、記者、學術自由及禁止進行和平集會。

區域法院法官胡雅文裁決時指，三人參與集會，是「對警察的蔑視和抗議」。

香港監察行政總裁羅傑斯評論裁決指︰

「我們支持黎智英、何桂藍和鄒幸彤，並譴責這些無恥的指控，這些指控試圖將參加悼念六四天安門事件遇難者的和平集會界定為犯罪。

《基本法》保障集會自由、結社自由和宗教或信仰自由，這些定罪顯示香港政府聲稱繼續維護《基本法》的說法實屬荒謬。

我們可清楚看見，香港政府只不過是中國共產黨的附庸。香港政府缺乏自治、禮節和常識，它似乎一心要抹去香港的自治、文化和歷史。

國際社會必須作出回應，呼籲立即釋放黎智英和香港所有政治犯，並對破壞香港自治的人士實施針對性的馬格尼茨基制裁。」