The prison writings of activist Chow Hang-tung, who was recently again convicted in Hong Kong for the crime of advocating democracy and freedom, are the subject of a Guardian report. She has been incarcerated since 2021 (August 21, 2026).
On Friday, Chow and her co-defendant Lee Cheuk-yan were found guilty of “incitement to subversion” by a Hong Kong court. They face a maximum penalty of 10 years in jail when they are sentenced later in the year….
In one essay written from prison, Chow Hang-tung worries about her hairstyle before court appearances because there are no combs or mirrors in her cell.
“In a place like prison, where anything that is personal is stripped away, it’s even more important to hold on to every means by which you can express yourself,” she writes. “Don’t let uniform, depersonalised rules, dress codes, schedules, and behavioural requirements grind down your edges and mould you into a ‘model citizen’ ”….
In another essay, she describes being handed a white Mickey Mouse t-shirt to wear in court because she is not allowed to wear clothing that carries the branding of her protest group, the Hong Kong Alliance.
“The Mickey Mouse t-shirt may seem innocent on the surface, but isn’t it still a prison uniform provided by the correctional facility? Even before the Alliance has been convicted, its clothes have already become contraband,” she writes….
In an essay written this year for the 37th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre, Chow wrote: “A society that loses its freedom of speech never just loses a few articles or events—it loses its very soul….
“ ‘Power corrupts’ is a hackneyed phrase, but when the will to power permeates everything…the decline of society becomes inevitable. Conversely, resisting the encroachment of power, or even attempting to put it back in its cage, requires a steadfast return to fundamental human values.”…
As far back as 2021, Chow published an essay about her refusal to plead guilty, writing: “A stubborn freak like me can only march on and fight my case till the end…. Having a chance to exhaust oneself is better than living a purposeless life, isn’t it?”
“She’s not afraid of anything or anyone,” says Kevin Yam, a Hongkonger now living overseas. “For a lot of us who are outside Hong Kong now and sometimes feel a bit dispirited by things, her example and her inspiration is a big factor in us not losing hope and keeping our spirits up.”
