Nine Hong Kong pro-democracy activists were sentenced to between six and 10 months in prison today for taking part in an unauthorised assembly at last year's vigil for the victims of China's 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown on protesters.

The former British colony, which returned to Chinese rule in 1997 with the promise of wide-ranging freedoms, traditionally holds the largest June 4 vigil in the world.

But, the last two vigils were banned by police citing coronavirus restrictions on public gatherings. But coming after the mass pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong in 2019, the ban was seen by many activists as an attempt to shut down any display...