Chief Executive John Lee on Friday said the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China had long been deliberately planting seeds of hatred against the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Central Government in Hong Kong.

Lee was responding to a High Court ruling that found the alliance and two of its former leaders, Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung, guilty of incitement to subversion.

The alliance had been "attempting to incite disaffection, hatred and other sentiments among members of the public against the CPC and the Central Government through various means, and inciting people to subvert state power", the chief executive said in a statement.

"This case once again demonstrates that no matter how offenders disguise their real agendas with sophistry and rhetoric, as long as they commit an offence endangering national security, the HKSAR Government will ensure that laws are observed and strictly enforced to bring the offenders to account."

A government spokesman said that during the trial, external forces blatantly and repeatedly smeared the judiciary, the Department of Justice and law enforcement agencies, using "political tactics and misleading remarks" to try to interfere with a fair trial.

"The HKSAR Government strongly condemns their despicable attempt to openly trample on the rule of law," the spokesman said.

The Office for Safeguarding National Security said the verdict demonstrates the spirit of the rule of law and upholds the authority of the Hong Kong National Security Law.

"Their actions severely violated the Hong Kong National Security Law, gravely harmed the fundamental interests of the country and Hong Kong, endangered the national constitutional order, and posed a real threat to national security and social stability," its spokesman said.


Edited by Edmond Fong