Nine Hong Kong activists get 6-10 months in prison for unauthorised Tiananmen vigil

By Sara Cheng

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Nine Hong Kong pro-democracy activists were sentenced to between six and 10 months in prison on Wednesday for taking part in an unauthorised assembly at last year's vigil for the victims of China's 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown on protesters.

The former British colony, which returned to Chinese rule in 1997 with the promise of wide-ranging freedoms, traditionally holds the largest June 4 vigil in the world.

But, the last two vigils were banned by police citing coronavirus restrictions on public gatherings. But coming after the mass pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong in 2019, the ban was seen by many activists as an attempt to shut down any display of defiance to Beijing. Hong Kong authorities denied that was the reason.

Despite the ban, thousands turned up to light candles across the city in 2020, and smaller crowds did the same in 2021.

"The defendants ignored and belittled a genuine public health crisis," District Court Judge Amanda Woodcock said.

"They wrongly and arrogantly believed their common purpose was more important than protecting the community or the public’s right to protection from a serious health risk."