Published on 11/09/2026 - 4:54 GMT+2•Updated 9:52

A Hong Kong court sentenced three Tiananmen vigil activists to prison for five to seven years on Friday for national security crimes, following a trial that has drawn international condemnation.

Lee Cheuk-yan, 69, Chow Hang-tung, 41, and Albert Ho, 74, have been behind bars since their initial charges in 2021.

Their convictions, handed down under a sweeping national security law, have drawn criticism from the United Nations, human rights organisations and foreign governments.

A court ruled in August that the activists breached the Chinese constitution by calling for an "end to one-party dictatorship".

Lee and Chow, both of whom pleaded not guilty, were sentenced to seven years and seven years and three months in prison, respectively.

Ho, a former lawmaker who entered a guilty plea in January, received a sentence of five years and two months.