Subversion trial judges reject Hong Kong activist’s bid to have 5 people testify remotely

A Hong Kong court has dismissed a detained activist’s request to allow three dissidents involved in the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and two others to testify remotely in her subversion trial next year.

The High Court on Monday turned down Chow Hang-tung’s application after the prosecution urged the three presiding judges to “defer to” a government determination that barring witnesses from giving evidence in national security trials via a video link would be in the country’s interests.

Chow, a barrister by profession, will stand trial next year for allegedly inciting subversion in her capacity as vice-chairwoman of the now-disbanded Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China.

Candlelight vigils organised annually by the alliance had been the only large-scale public gathering on Chinese soil to remember the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown.

The alliance, ex-chairman Lee Cheuk-yan and former vice-chairman Albert Ho Chun-yan will also be tried for the same offence, which is punishable by up to 10 years’ imprisonment under the national security law imposed by Beijing in June 2020.

Chow told the court on Monday she had intended to defend her case by asking three exiled dissidents to testify from abroad.