Toronto Association for Democracy in China (TADC) strongly condemns the guilty verdict handed down by the Hong Kong courts to Chow Hang-tung, Lee Cheuk-yan, and Albert Ho on charges of inciting subversion of state power under the 2020 National Security Law.
多倫多支聯會（TADC）強烈譴責香港法院裁定鄒幸彤、李卓人及何俊仁『煽動顛覆國家政權罪』成立，控罪根據2020年7月實施的《港區國安法》作出。
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Ms. Chow, Mr. Lee and Mr. Ho were, respectively, vice-chair, chair and former chair of the Hong Kong Alliance at the time of their disbandment in 2021. The prominent pro-democracy group is best known for organizing the city’s annual June 4 candlelight vigils commemorating the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre.
The convictions of Chow and Lee were based on the evidence of them calling for “an end one-party rule,” one of the five tenets of the Alliance established at its founding in 1989.
“Calling for an end to one-party rule should never be viewed as a crime,” said Winnie Ng, co-chair of the Toronto Association for Democracy in China. “Rather, it should be seen as advocating for democratic reforms, not unlike what the student protesters demanded back in 1989.”
She added, “As Chow pointed out during her defense, it’s up to the people to decide since the Chinese Constitution clearly states that all power in China belongs to its people.”
“Calling Lee a committed criminal for inciting subversion is an insult to his whole-hearted devotion to equality, human rights and democracy in Hong Kong and China,” said Liane Lee, the association’s vice chair and an eyewitness to the massacre.
Given his age, health condition and four years of pre-trial custody, it is understandable for Ho to make a guilty plea during the trial to lessen his sentence.
“Just like in Jimmy Lai’s case, this is a sham trial straight out of the playbook an authoritarian regime to suppress political dissent,” said Cheuk Kwan, TADC’s co-chair. “The world should come together to fight for restoring justice and freedom in Hong Kong, and call for the release of Chow, Lee and Ho together with all political prisoners.”
香港支聯會於2021年被迫解散，鄒幸彤、李卓人及何俊仁當時分別為副會長、會長及前會長。支聯會多年來於香港維園每年都主辦六四燭光晚會，悼念1989年天安門大屠殺的死難者。
鄒幸彤及李卓人的一個罪證，是他們主張「結束一黨專政」，而這是支聯會自1989年成立以來一直堅持的五大綱領其中之一。
多倫多支聯會共同主席吳溫溫表示：「要求結束一黨專政何罪之有！這與1989年天安門學生運動提出的民主訴求並無分別。」
「鄒幸彤在庭上答辯時指出，人民有權作出選擇。中國憲法列明中國的權力歸於人民。」
當曰於北京天安門親歷六四事件的多倫多支聯會副主席李蘭菊憤慨地説：「李卓人畢生致力追求香港與中國的平等、人權及民主，將他裁定為犯下『煽動顛覆國家政權罪』，是對他的極大侮辱。」
基於何俊仁的年齡、健康狀況、以及被還押候審已經四年，外界可以理解他認罪只是希望爭取較輕刑罰的無奈之舉。
多倫多支聯會另一位共同主席關卓中表示：「這跟黎智英案如出一轍，是不折不扣的中共打壓政治異見人士的手法。國際社會必須團結一致，奪回香港的公義與自由，並要求立即釋放鄒幸彤、李卓人、何俊仁，與及所有政治犯。」
