In 1989, hundreds – possibly thousands – of protesters peacefully calling for economic and social reforms were killed by troops around Tiananmen Square. Today, in the face of an escalating crackdown on free expression by the Chinese government, the memory of what happened on Tiananmen Square teeters on the brink of erasure.
By signing this petition, you can join this year’s virtual vigil, “lighting a candle” to keep the memory of Tiananmen alive and the fight for justice alight.
For over three decades, the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China organized the world’s largest candlelight vigil to commemorate the Tiananmen crackdown in Hong Kong. However, the struggle for the right to remember has been under attack since the National Security Law was imposed on the city by the Chinese government in June 2020.
A key figure in this struggle is Chow Hang-tung, a Hong Kong human rights lawyer and former vice-chairperson of the Alliance, who now serves a 22-month jail term for peacefully advocating remembrance. The recent enactment of an even harsher national security law (known as the Article 23) – with up to 10 years jail term for peacefully criticizing the government – has underscored the lengths authorities will go to silence dissent and erase history.
Chow, a brilliant graduate from a top university, could have charted a different path, but instead, she chose to risk her own freedom to champion the rights of others. Her resilience in the face of adversity speaks volumes, and her unwavering commitment to commemorating the victims stands in stark contrast with the government’s efforts to silence dissent and erase history.
Join us as we reaffirm our commitment to stand with Chow Hang-tung and insist on the right to preserve the memory of the Tiananmen Square crackdown.