The Guardian view on the Tiananmen vigil convictions: Hong Kong too has been silenced. Others should speak out
Two activists who organised commemorations of the bloody crackdown on China’s 1989 pro-democracy protests now face jail. Remembering is not a crime
TL;DR
- Hong Kong's annual Tiananmen Square massacre vigil, a rare public commemoration in China, has ceased following a crackdown on freedoms.
- Two leaders of the Hong Kong Alliance, Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung, were convicted of incitement to subversion for organizing the vigil.
- The convictions are part of a broader effort by Chinese authorities to suppress dissent and rewrite history, with other pro-democracy activists also facing jail sentences.
- Despite official censorship, instances of suppressed memory resurfacing, like leaked footage of a general defying orders in 1989, indicate ongoing resistance to national amnesia.
- The UK, as a signatory to the treaty preserving Hong Kong's autonomy, is urged to adopt a more robust stance against China's actions and speak out for those imprisoned.
- The article highlights the fragility of memory against state repression and calls for international solidarity.