Two prominent democracy activists in Hong Kong, Chow Hang-tung and Lee Cheuk-yan, have been convicted of subversion under a controversial security law, sparking condemnation from Germany and France.

A Hong Kong court has found Chow Hang-tung, a 41-year-old human rights lawyer, and Lee Cheuk-yan, a 69-year-old veteran activist, guilty of inciting subversion under the national security law imposed by Beijing. The charges stem from their roles in organizing annual vigils commemorating the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown. Both activists now face potential prison sentences of up to ten years.

The verdict has drawn sharp criticism from Germany and France, which have called for the immediate release of the activists. In a joint statement, the two governments emphasized that peaceful advocacy for human rights should not be treated as a criminal act. They urged authorities in Beijing and Hong Kong to respect civil liberties and freedoms, which have been increasingly curtailed since the introduction of the security law in 2020.

Chow and Lee were key figures in the now-disbanded Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, which organized the vigils for decades. These events, once a symbol of Hong Kong’s relative freedoms compared to mainland China, were banned following the enactment of the security law. Human rights groups have condemned the convictions as part of a broader crackdown on dissent in Hong Kong, with calls for the international community to support those targeted for defending democratic values.