Hong Kong national security law: 2 jailed leaders of Tiananmen vigil organiser urge members to vote to disband amid ongoing probe

Current chairman Lee Cheuk-yan and former vice-chairman Albert Ho argue ‘that the best solution for the alliance is to voluntarily dissolve’

Lee and Ho were both recently charged with subversion under the national security law, and Ho is also serving a jail term for his role in last year’s banned vigil

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Albert Ho (left) and Lee Cheuk-yan (with microphone) attend the annual Tiananmen Square vigil at Victoria Park in 2019. Photo: Edmond So

Published: 7:47pm, 20 Sep 2021Updated: 10:56pm, 20 Sep 2021

Two current and former leaders of the alliance behind Hong Kong’s annual Tiananmen Square vigil have urged the group’s members to support its disbandment, just days after nine people were jailed over their roles in last year’s banned event.

Writing from behind bars, chairman Lee Cheuk-yan and former vice-chairman Albert Ho Chun-yan on Monday called on members of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China to back the dissolution at an emergency general meeting to be held on September 25.

“In regards to the current social environment, we believe that the best solution for the alliance is to voluntarily dissolve,” they wrote. “We publicly appeal to representatives of all member groups to support the dissolution of the alliance.”

The motion to disband will require the approval of three-quarters of the voters present, the alliance’s standing committee noted in a press release, which also pointed to the challenges faced by the group in an “increasingly tense” political climate.

The organisation announced last month it intended to disband after 32 years of activism. The move followed similar decisions to fold by two other civil society groups being investigated under the national security law.

The city’s Security Bureau has started the process of revoking the alliance’s company registration, citing alleged violations of the Beijing-imposed legislation.

Lee and Ho were charged with inciting subversion under the security law last week alongside vice-chairwoman Chow Hang-tung. Chow was also charged with refusing to provide information requested by national security police.