The disbanded Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China was fined HK$1.5 million on 11 September 2026, while its former leaders were sentenced to between five years and two months and seven years and three months in prison. Former chairman Lee Cheuk-yan was jailed for seven years, former vice-chairman Albert Ho Chun-yan for five years and two months, and Chow Hang-tung for seven years and three months.
The Alliance must pay the fine within three months. Ho pleaded guilty before the trial, while the Alliance, Lee and Chow denied the charge and were convicted after trial. The prosecution alleged that they incited others to organise, plan, carry out or participate in acts to subvert state power by unlawful means.
The court said the case did not involve violence, and that the defendants had not put forward a specific method or timetable for implementing their call to end one-party rule. It nevertheless classified the case as serious.
The court cited the social unrest at the time, the 14-month duration of the activities from 1 July 2020 to 8 September 2021, and their territory-wide reach. It also considered the use of multiple activities and social-media platforms, the defendants’ mobilisation capacity and influence, and the court’s view that they believed their positions might be unlawful but continued regardless.
Ming Pao reported that the court used seven years and six months as the starting point for the prison terms. Ho received a 22-month reduction for his guilty plea, while Lee and Ho each received a three-month reduction for their previous public service. All the defendants received a further three-month reduction after the defence accepted substantial parts of the prosecution’s case and because the delay in the proceedings had caused psychological pressure.
The case’s remaining unresolved exhibit is the Pillar of Shame. The court said the parties remained divided over how it should be dealt with and postponed the dispute for further handling.