Chow Hung-tung’s case is part of the broader crackdown on political dissent in Hong Kong following the introduction of the National Security Law in 2020.

Chow Hang-tung, a prominent Hong Kong barrister and pro-democracy activist, has been imprisoned for her role in organising and promoting the annual Tiananmen Square vigil, which commemorates the victims of the 1989 crackdown in Beijing. She was a key leader in the now-disbanded ‘Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China’.

Her imprisonment is linked to multiple charges under Hong Kong’s National Security Law and other public order offenses. Authorities accused her of inciting unlawful assembly and subversion, particularly after she encouraged people to light candles privately in 2021 when the vigil was officially banned. She has also faced charges of failing to comply with a request for information under the National Security Law.

Despite her imprisonment, Chow has continued to use her legal knowledge to defend rights, including in 2022 to secure the lifting of reporting restrictions on bail hearings. Most recently, Chow mounted a legal challenge to rules that require women – but not men – to wear long trousers year-round in Hong Kong prisons, where temperatures regularly exceed 30 degrees Celsius in summer. In the past, Chow has suffered retaliation for such advocacy, including repeated periods of solitary confinement.

It is important to note that while some convictions have been overturned, Chow Hang-tung continues to face legal challenges under Hong Kong’s National Security Law.  Despite having served time in prison for her activism she remains in detention.

The charges:

1.  Inciting and Participating in an Unauthorized Assembly (2020):

On June 4, 2020, Chow participated in and encouraged others to join a candlelight vigil commemorating the Tiananmen Square crackdown, despite the event being banned by authorities.  On December 13, 2021, she was sentenced to 12 months in prison for these actions.

2.  Inciting an Unauthorized Assembly (2021):

In 2021, Chow urged the public to light candles privately to mark the Tiananmen anniversary after the official vigil was prohibited. On January 4, 2022, she received a 15-month prison sentence. Ten months of this term were ordered to run consecutively with her previous sentence, resulting in a total imprisonment of 22 months.

3.  Failing to Comply with Police Information Request:

Chow and the ‘Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China’ declined to provide national security officers with details about the group’s members, financial records, and activities. Initially convicted in 2023, Chow’s conviction was overturned by Hong Kong’s top court on March 6, 2025, due to procedural issues and lack of evidence.

4.  Inciting Subversion of State Power:

Between July 1, 2020, and September 8, 2021, Chow, along with other defendants, was accused of inciting others to organize, plan, and participate in activities aimed at subverting state power by illegal means. As of March 12, 2025, this case remains ongoing, and no sentence has been issued yet.

Amnesty is calling on the Hong Kong authorities to:

• Drop all charges against and release Chow Hang-tung immediately and unconditionally, as she was charged solely for peacefully exercising her rights
• End the practice of bringing criminal charges against those who have simply exercised their right to freedom of expression or other human rights
• Review and amend all laws and regulations, and end all related measures, including Article 23, that violate the exercise of human rights, in particular to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association.