Hong Kong activists convicted over Tiananmen vigil

Hong Kong, Dec 09: Jimmy Lai, the owner of the now defunct Hong Kong pro-democracy paper Apple Daily, was found guilty Thursdayfor partaking in a vigil marking the June 4 anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre

Lai and three other pro-democracy activists were found guilty of unlawful assembly under Hong Kong's controversial national security law.

Opposition politician Gwyneth Ho and rights lawyer Chow Hang-tung were also found guilty

All three had entered not guilty pleas to inciting others to partake in an unauthorized assembly.

The convictions are the latest assault against the city's pro-democracy movement. Many activists have been arrested, jailed or gone into exile since the city's Beijing-backed rulers imposed the draconian national security law last year.

Traditionally, Hong Kong held the largest vigil commemorating the massacre of peaceful pro-democracy protesters on Tiananmen Square.

Authorities in China have made use of restrictions to stop the spread of COVID-19 to ban the vigils for the last two years.

Source: DW