Quotes
24 October 2025
The case against the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China (HK Alliance) and its former chairpersons and vice-chairpersons, Lee Cheuk-yan, Ho Chun-yan, and Chow Hang-tung, for “incitement of subversion,” was originally scheduled to begin on 11 November 2025. The latest information on the judiciary website shows that the trial date has been postponed to 22 January 2026.
In response, Luk Chi-man, Executive Director of Amnesty International Hong Kong Overseas, said:
“Chow Hang-tung and Lee Cheuk-yan have been held in pre-trial detention for over 1,500 days without conviction, reflecting the authorities’ attempt to use prolonged detention as a tool of oppression to isolate and suppress dissent over an extended period.”
“Under international human rights law and standards, as well as the principle of presumption of innocence, pre-trial detention should not become the norm. The government also has a responsibility to ensure that those in custody awaiting trial are brought to court within a reasonable time.”
“However, the National Security Law uses the vaguely defined ‘endangering national security’ as a pretext to systematically deny defendants the right to bail, seriously undermining their right to a fair trial.”
“More importantly, freedom of expression is a human right. Chow Hang-tung and Lee Cheuk-yan should never have been arrested and prosecuted for commemorating June 4th and seeking historical truth. The Hong Kong government must immediately drop the charges against and release both of them.”
Background
In September 2021, Lee Cheuk-yan, Ho Chun-yan, and Chow Hang-tung, the former chairpersons and vice-chairpersons of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China (Hong Kong Alliance) were charged under National Security Law for inciting subversion. Their trial was originally scheduled to begin in May 2025, then postponed to November 2025, and is now further postponed to January 22, 2026.
Amnesty International found that the presumption against bail under the NSL had become a norm, while the duration of pre-trial detention can also serve as an indicator of human rights violation. According to international standards, individuals held in pre-trial detention have the right to expeditious proceedings and the right to be released if not adjudicated within a reasonable timeframe.