National security law: Hong Kong’s Tiananmen vigil defendants sound justice warning after magistrate lines up government body to represent them in subversion trial
- Accused ex-leaders of now-dissolved alliance behind Hong Kong’s Tiananmen Square vigil outraged over suggestion for official receiver to act on group’s behalf
- Leadership trio and the alliance are accused of inciting others to subvert state power in violation of the national security law
The legal status of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China was at the centre of Monday’s preliminary hearing after prosecutors insisted on pursuing a charge of inciting subversion against the group and three of its executives – despite the company’s forced disbandment last year.
Overseeing the West Kowloon Court hearing, acting chief magistrate Peter Law Tak-chuen proposed the official receiver, which serves as a trustee and liquidator in insolvency cases, to act on the alliance’s behalf once the issues relating to its legal status had been resolved.
Richard Tsoi Yiu-cheung, a former standing committee member of the alliance, was provisionally appointed by the court to receive legal documents for the group. But he ceased to be an interested party in the case when the official receiver joined the proceedings.
Lee Cheuk-yan, Albert Ho Chun-yan and Chow Hang-tung – all leaders of the now-defunct alliance – questioned the magistrate’s decision from the dock, saying they feared an official receiver would act contrary to the alliance’s interests.
Lee, a former opposition lawmaker who was alliance chairman, compared the present quandary to “hitting your right hand with your left”.