In a pivotal trial, two pro-democracy activists who organized the annual vigil commemorating the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown commenced legal proceedings in Hong Kong. They face charges under the China-imposed national security law, illustrating the ongoing erosion of Western-style civil liberties in the region.
The defendants, Chow Hang-tung and Lee Cheuk-yan, have been charged with incitement to subversion. They stand accused of using unlawful means to promote state subversion, exposing the trial as a critical juncture in the struggle for free expression in the city.
The high-profile case stretches over 75 days with intensive scrutiny from legal experts and human rights groups. As Hong Kong's democratic freedoms face unprecedented challenges, the global community watches closely.
