• Three leaders of a disbanded group face charges under Hong Kong's national security law.
• The defendants are accused of inciting subversion related to Tiananmen Square commemorations.
• The trial follows a ban on public memorials since 2020 due to security legislation.
• Prosecutors argue the group's goals undermine China's political system.
• Chow Hang-tung has spent over 1,500 days in custody, attempting to challenge her charges.

Hong Kong's High Court commenced the highly publicized national security trial of three former leaders of the now-disbanded Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China. This group was known for organizing annual vigils to commemorate the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown. Facing charges of "inciting subversion of state power," Lee Cheuk-yan, 68, Albert Ho, 74, who has pleaded guilty, and Chow Hang-tung, 40, could face prison sentences of up to 10 years if convicted; their trial began amid tight security measures, with police on high alert, according to Reuters and Channel News Asia.

The case is perceived as a critical point for civil liberties in Hong Kong, as commemorations for the Tiananmen events have been banned since 2020, just as the national security law came into effect. This law prohibits various dissenting activities and has been criticized internationally for undermining freedoms in Hong Kong. During the trial, prosecutors focus on whether the Alliance's goal of “ending one-party rule” constitutes an act of subversion. Sarah Brooks of Amnesty International argued that the case aims to "rewrite history and punish those who refuse to forget," underscoring the broader implications of the trial on memory and justice in a repressive legal environment, according to BBC and Channel News Asia.

The dramatic decline in public commemorations for the Tiananmen Square massacre contrasts sharply with Hong Kong's historical role as a bastion for pro-democracy movements in Chinese territory, where such discussions are banned. Authorities had previously justified the ban on vigils citing Covid-19 policies, leading to heightened concerns about freedom and political expression since the national security law's introduction. Critics argue that this law effectively creates an environment of fear and curtails the region's previously enjoyed autonomy, a sentiment echoed by both rights groups and international observers, according to Reuters and BBC.