A Sri Lankan Mother’s Story
Chow Hang-tung and Lee Cheuk-yan have been unjustly detained for over 1,600 days since their arrests in September 2021. The trial opened on 22 January this year, and has now entered the defence phase, with both activists testifying in their own defence.
Their trial has drawn attention far beyond Hong Kong’s courtroom. Activists around the world have responded with solidarity, speaking from their own experiences of struggle. One of them is Mrs. Leeladevi Anandanadarajah, writing from Sri Lanka.
Mrs. Anandanadarajah is the General Secretary of the Association for Relatives of the Enforced Disappearances (ARED). On 15 May 2009, her eldest son Anuraj completed all required checking procedures at the Omanthai checkpoint — and was then taken away for further interrogation following a tip-off from an informant. He never returned. For sixteen years, she has never stopped searching for answers.
She is not alone. Sri Lanka is one of the countries with the highest number of enforced disappearances in the world. An estimated 60,000 to 100,000 people have gone missing since the late 1980s. ARED has been fighting since 2017, demanding that the government reveal the truth behind these cases.
Her struggle has not come without cost. She was summoned twice by the Terrorism Investigation Department for interrogation and faced a series of allegations from Criminal Investigation Department officers, some of which were false. Each time, she attended without fear and demanded that they provide evidence. “I have done nothing wrong,” she said. “My only demand is to know the whereabouts of my son.” As a retired Assistant Commissioner of Labour, she was able to communicate with officials directly in Sinhala and assert her rights. She made her position clear: if the government releases her son, she will stop her protest — otherwise, she will continue her struggle until he returns, or until justice is achieved. Since then, the authorities have remained silent in her case.
Despite these challenges, Mrs. Anandanadarajah continues to attend sessions of the UN Human Rights Council, speaking on behalf of all families of the disappeared. “My strength comes from my determination to find the truth and seek justice for my son and all the disappeared,” she said.
Her Letter to Hong Kongers
Now, she wrote to Chow Hang-tung, Lee Cheuk-yan and all those in Hong Kong who refuse to forget:
“I stand in deep solidarity with you. Your courage to remember, to speak the truth, and to honour those who suffered is not a crime — it is a fundamental human right. Even though you face imprisonment for peacefully commemorating the victims of the Tiananmen crackdown, your struggle represents the voice of conscience that cannot be silenced.
Like you, I am also searching for truth and justice for my disappeared son. I understand the pain of not knowing, and the strength it takes to continue despite fear and pressure. Your resilience reminds the world that memory is powerful, and that no law can erase truth or dignity. As one activist said: “The state can lock up people but not their ideas.”
We may be in different countries, but our struggles are connected. We all seek truth, justice, and accountability. Your bravery gives hope to many of us who continue our own fights for justice.
Please know that you are not alone. We stand with you, and we will continue to raise our voices together until truth and justice prevail.”
Take Action
Chow Hang-tung and Lee Cheuk-yan are being prosecuted for “inciting subversion of state power”, charges rooted in the Hong Kong Alliance’s decades of commemorating June 4th. If convicted, they face up to ten years in prison.
Amnesty International is collecting signatures calling for their immediate and unconditional release and the dropping of all charges.
We need your support. Sign now: https://amnestyhk.org/en-us/free-jailed-hong-kong-activists/
Upcoming Event
Hong Kongers’ June 4 Stories — Online Sharing
When Commemoration Becomes Difficult, How Do We Understand and Remember?
For over three decades, Hong Kong has been one of the most important places in the world for commemorating June 4th. The Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China organised the world’s largest candlelight vigil in Victoria Park year after year — an act not only of mourning, but of steadfast commitment to historical truth and civil society.
Since the implementation of the National Security Law, this shared public memory has faced unprecedented restrictions. The candlelight can no longer be lit in Victoria Park. Yet acts of commemorating June 4th have not disappeared. From vigils around the world and performances of Stage 64, to individual acts of persistence, the memory continues in different forms.
As HK Alliance leaders Chow Hang-tung and Lee Cheuk-yan stand trial on charges of “inciting subversion of state power,” we invite three Hong Kongers from different positions, Fernando Cheung Chiu-hung, Lit Ming-wai, and Alex Chow Wing-hong, to share their personal memories connected to June 4th and their stories with the Alliance and its members.
Drawing from civic action, cultural practice, and diasporic experience, they will respond to the current trial and reflect together: what does June 4th mean to Hong Kongers at this moment?
Let us speak of June 4th once more, and together contemplate the meaning of memory, freedom, and resistance today.
Speakers: Fernando Cheung Chiu-hung (Board Member, Amnesty International Hong Kong Overseas) Lit Ming-wai (Producer, Stage 64) Alex Chow Wing-hong (Former Secretary-General, Hong Kong Federation of Students)
Date: Saturday, 18 April 2026
Time: 14:30–15:30 EDT (North America) / 19:30–20:30 BST (United Kingdom)
For other time zones, please refer to the Time and Date link: https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/fixedtime.html?msg=HKO+April+Sharing&iso=20260418T1430&p1=250&ah=1
Language: Cantonese (no interpretation provided)
Register: https://amnestyhk.org/en-us/hong-kongers-june-4-stories-online-sharing/
To protect your safety and privacy, we recommend taking appropriate precautions, including using a VPN, an alias, and a dedicated email account.
Amnesty International Hong Kong Overseas Team