Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai among three prominent democracy activists convicted on Thursday

Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai, who turned 74-years-old on Wednesday, was found guilty on Thursday of inciting people to join a gathering in Tiananmen Square.

Hong Kong’s already-jailed media tycoon Jimmy Lai was among three prominent democracy activists convicted on Thursday for taking part in a banned gathering in June 2020 to remember the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown.

Hong Kong has a long history of commemorating June 4 -- it’s traditionally a day when the city’s freedoms are on show to the world -- but the Tiananmen vigil has been banned since Beijing intensified its crackdown in the city after 2019's protests, with the Hong Kong Police dubiously citing the pandemic.

Lai, who turned 74-years-old on Wednesday, was found guilty on Thursday of inciting people to join the Tiananmen gathering. Rights lawyer Chow Hang-tung and former journalist Gwyneth Ho were also convicted of taking part in the ‘unauthorized assembly’ at Victoria Park.

Judge Amanda Woodcock said that prosecutors were able to prove that Lai and Chow encouraged others to join the vigil, citing Chow’s call for people to “light candles." Sentencing is on Dec. 13.