Ex-Hong Kong journalist who witnessed Tiananmen crackdown testifies in vigil activist’s subversion trial

2026-03-30 - 11:23

A former Hong Kong journalist who witnessed the Tiananmen Square crackdown in 1989 has testified in a vigil activist’s subversion trial under the city’s national security law. Choi Shuk-fong, 66, took the witness stand on Monday to give testimony for Chow Hang-tung, a former leader of the now-disbanded Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, which organised annual vigils to commemorate the bloody crackdown. Former journalist and Tiananmen Square crackdown eyewitness Choi Suk-fong (right) exits the West Kowloon Law Courts on March 30, 2026. Photo: James Lee/HKFP. Choi told the court that she witnessed the Tiananmen crackdown when she was working as a journalist for Sing Tao Daily. She quit journalism in 1990 and volunteered for the Alliance for nearly three decades, from the time the group was established in 1989 until she left Hong Kong in 2018. “We had to tell the truth. We risked our lives to leave Beijing and came back with this trauma. [The protesters] told us to tell the truth,” she said on Monday. “The trauma is still here,” Choi told Judge Alex Lee when he asked why she attended the vigils every year. ‘Ulterior motive’ The former journalist confirmed that she previously handed over to the Alliance a T-shirt she was given at Tiananmen Square, as well as an audio recording from the square. Chow Hang-tung. File photo: Candice Chau/HKFP. When Chow – a barrister who represents herself in the trial – showed Choi a photo of the T-shirt, the witness said she was aware it had been put on display at the Alliance’s June 4 museum. The judges barred a photo of injured, bloodied protesters at Tiananmen Square, which was taken by Choi, from being shown in court. When Chow was about to show the picture, prosecutor Ivan Cheung objected and said it was an “appropriate moment to draw a line.” Judge Lee told Chow: “I don’t want to speculate whether you are calling this witness as an opportunity to play something for people to see... At the moment, I don’t see how this can help the court.” Chow replied, saying she intended to present a “balanced picture” in response to the prosecution’s “biased” account of the activist group’s activities, including the June 4 museum. Judge Johnny Chan then verbally described the image as depicting injured, bloodied protesters being carried away. Chow also asked Choi about her personal demands regarding the Tiananmen Square crackdown as a first-hand witness. However, Lee stopped Choi from answering, saying that expressing such demands would not help the court. In response, Chow said that her question would allow the court to determine whether the Alliance had any “ulterior motive” to incite subversion. West Kowloon Law Courts Building. File photo: Candice Chau/HKFP. But Lee maintained that the question would not assist the court. “I think we won’t allow it,” he said, ending Choi’s testimony at just over an hour. ‘A democratic society’ A second defence witness, former vigil attendee Shum Lai-fong, also took the stand on Monday. The 69-year-old said told the court she believed the Alliance’s call for an end to one-party rule was not directed at any specific party. “It was not about any party in particular,” Shum said. “If a majority of people could freely choose a party to take power, then that would be a democratic society.” Prosecutors have alleged that the Alliance sought to incite others to overthrow Chinese Communist Party (CCP) rule through its calls to “end one-party rule,” a core tenet of the group since its founding in 1989. Chow had earlier testified that the group’s demand for an end to one-party rule did not amount to a call to “overthrow” the CCP. Asked about her motivation for attending the annual vigils, Shum said: “I want to express my concern for the families of the deceased. I want them to know that people will not forget their loved ones who have died, and that they may find some comfort in that.” Chow Hang-tung, fellow leader Lee Cheuk-yan, and the Alliance are standing trial for “inciting subversion,” an offence under the Beijing-imposed national security law that carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Another leader, Albert Ho, who has pleaded guilty to the charges, was excused from attending the trial.