On the International Day of Democracy, the ITUC-Asia Pacific strongly condemns the seven-year prison sentence handed down to veteran trade union leader and democracy advocate Lee Cheuk-yan and calls for his immediate and unconditional release.
Lee, a founder and former General Secretary of the Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions (HKCTU), was sentenced on 11 September 2026 after being convicted in August of “inciting subversion” under Hong Kong’s National Security Law. Meanwhile, pro-democracy activist and lawyer Chow Hang-tung was sentenced to seven years and three months.
Lee has been imprisoned since 2021 following a series of prosecutions arising from his peaceful campaign for workers’ rights and democracy in Hong Kong and China. With this latest sentence, he is expected to remain behind bars until 2029, while Chow is expected to serve her sentence until 2030.
“On a day when the world reaffirms the importance of democracy, Lee Cheuk-yan remains behind bars for peacefully defending the very freedoms on which democracy depends. His seven-year sentence is a profound injustice and another alarming attack on the rights of workers and all people in Hong Kong to organise, speak out, assemble, and participate freely in society,” said Shoya Yoshida, General Secretary of ITUC-Asia Pacific.
“Democracy cannot exist where workers are denied the freedom to organise, where dissent is criminalised, and where people face imprisonment for peacefully expressing their political beliefs. Trade union rights and democratic rights are inseparable. We demand the immediate and unconditional release of Lee, Chow Hang-tung and all those imprisoned for exercising their fundamental freedoms,” Shoya Yoshida added
ITUC-Asia Pacific asserts that the sentencing is a stark reminder of the continuing erosion of democracy, civic space, and fundamental freedoms in Hong Kong. The use of national security legislation against peaceful political expression has created an increasingly hostile environment for trade unionists, human rights defenders, and civil society.
Since the introduction of the National Security Law in Hong Kong, Independent trade unionism has also been severely weakened. The HKCTU was forced to disband in 2021 amid mounting political pressure, further restricting the space for workers to organise collectively and make their voices heard.
On the International Day of Democracy, ITUC-Asia Pacific joins the international trade union movement in calling for the immediate release and exoneration of Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung and urges workers across Asia and the Pacific to show their solidarity by signing the LabourStart petition demanding their freedom.
ITUC-Asia Pacific also calls on the Hong Kong and Chinese authorities to end the criminalisation of peaceful trade union and democratic activity and fully respect freedom of association, freedom of expression, and the right to peaceful assembly.
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