Hong Kong Tiananmen Vigil Trial 2026 Begins: Subversion Charges and the Battle Over History

The candles have gone out, but the legal battle burns on in Hong Kong's highest court. On January 22, 2026, a landmark trial opened against three prominent activists who for decades organized the city's annual vigils marking the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown. Chow Hang-tung, Albert Ho, and Lee Cheuk-yan face charges of 'inciting subversion of state power,' a case seen by many as a litmus test for Hong Kong's judicial autonomy.

Hong Kong Tiananmen Vigil Trial 2026: Subversion Charges and Legal Battle

The courtroom atmosphere on Thursday was tense as the former leaders of the Hong Kong Alliance entered their pleas. While Lee and Chow pleaded not guilty, Ho entered a guilty plea. Despite the biting cold, dozens of supporters queued outside the High Court to witness the proceedings, which are expected to last 75 days. The prosecution plans to use the Alliance's own archival footage from three decades of activism as evidence.

International Outcry vs. Judicial Defense

Rights organizations haven't held back their criticism. Amnesty International described the trial as an attempt to 'rewrite history.' Conversely, Beijing maintains that the 2020 National Security Law successfully restored order after the 2019 protests. Hong Kong's judiciary, meanwhile, insists that judges are indifferent to politics, dealing only with law and evidence. This trial follows the high-profile conviction of media mogul Jimmy Lai last month, adding to the global scrutiny of the territory's legal landscape.