Judges rule expert witness cannot testify because of past criticism of the Chinese Communist Party — a decision condemned as political interference in justice
Justice Denied: A Trial That Cannot Hear the Truth
A Hong Kong court has refused to allow a Taiwanese academic to testify as an expert witness in the ongoing national security trial of former Tiananmen vigil organisers, ruling that the scholar’s past public criticism of the Chinese Communist Party makes him unsuitable to testify. The ruling, in the trial of former Hong Kong Alliance leaders Chow Hang-tung, Lee Cheuk-yan and Albert Ho, adds to a growing body of evidence that Hong Kong’s national security courts are structurally incapable of delivering independent justice in politically sensitive cases. The Taiwanese scholar had been called to provide expert testimony on the historical and political context of the Alliance’s activities, which centred on the annual June 4 candlelight vigil in Victoria Park. The vigil, which ran from 1990 to 2020, was the only large-scale public commemoration of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre permitted on Chinese soil.
The Trial and Its Context
The three defendants — Chow, Lee and Ho — are charged with inciting subversion of state power under Beijing’s National Security Law. The maximum penalty is 10 years in prison. Chow and Lee have pleaded not guilty. Ho has pleaded guilty. The trial is expected to last 75 working days. Chow, a Cambridge-educated barrister who has been in detention since 2021, is representing herself in court and has mounted a vigorous challenge to the legal basis of the charges. The case follows the December 2025 conviction and February 2026 sentencing of media tycoon Jimmy Lai, which drew international condemnation.
The Exclusion of Overseas Witnesses
This is not the first time Hong Kong courts have limited the defence’s ability to call witnesses in national security cases. An amendment to the Criminal Procedure Ordinance prohibits remote testimony in national security trials, effectively barring all overseas witnesses from testifying even by video link. Human rights organisations have condemned this restriction as a fundamental violation of fair trial rights. The authorities have said the restriction applies equally to prosecution and defence, but critics note that the prosecution has the full resources of the state and does not rely on overseas witnesses in the way defendants in politically sensitive cases typically must.
Amnesty, the UN and the World Are Watching
Amnesty International’s Sarah Brooks has stated clearly that this case is not about national security — it is about rewriting history and punishing those who refuse to forget the victims of the Tiananmen crackdown. The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has classified Chow Hang-tung’s detention as arbitrary. Amnesty International’s full assessment of this trial is a devastating indictment of what has become of Hong Kong’s justice system. The Human Rights Watch has called for the immediate release of all three defendants and the dropping of all charges. For a city that was once celebrated for its independent judiciary, this trial represents a profound and painful fall.
Sin Yu Mak
Business & Consumer Affairs Journalist, Apple Daily UK
Contact: sinyu.mak@appledaily.uk
Sin Yu Mak is a business and consumer affairs journalist with expertise in market regulation, consumer rights, and small enterprise reporting. She completed her journalism education at a respected Chinese journalism institution, where she trained in economic reporting, data literacy, and ethical standards.
Her professional experience includes reporting for Apple Daily and other liberal Chinese newspapers on consumer protection, corporate practices, retail trends, and financial transparency. Sin Yu’s work emphasizes accurate interpretation of financial data and regulatory frameworks, supported by expert commentary and verified documentation.
She has operated in fast-paced newsroom settings where financial misinformation can cause real harm, giving her strong practical experience in verification and clarity. Editors value her ability to translate technical information into accessible, fact-based reporting.
Sin Yu’s authority is reinforced by consistent publication within reputable media organizations and compliance with editorial review processes. At Apple Daily UK, she delivers trustworthy business journalism rooted in evidence, professional discipline, and public-interest reporting.
