John Lee says HK Alliance plot warranted punishment
Crhk · 2 SOURCESabout 1 hour ago2 MIN
Summary
The Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, its former chairperson Lee Cheuk-yan, and former vice-chairperson Chow Hang-tung were convicted in the national security case of inciting subversion of state power, while former vice-chairperson Albert Ho Chun-yan had already pleaded guilty before trial.
Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said the defendants had for a long time endangered national security and that their plot was plain to see, making punishment necessary.
Key Points
- The court delivered its ruling in the Hong Kong Alliance incitement-to-subvert case in the morning, convicting the dissolved group, Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung.
- Albert Ho Chun-yan, also a former vice-chairperson of the alliance, had already pleaded guilty before the trial began.
- John Lee said the alliance had deliberately sown hatred in Hong Kong against the Chinese Communist Party and the central government over a long period.
- He said the group used different means to stir public disgust and hatred toward Beijing and incite people to subvert state power.
- The SAR government welcomed the convictions and said the court ruled strictly on the basis of law and evidence, without political considerations.
Why It Matters
The government is using the case to reinforce its position that offences involving national security will be pursued under a strict law-enforcement approach in Hong Kong.
Officials also tied the ruling to a broader defence of the constitutional order and rejected overseas criticism as interference with the city’s judicial process.