BREAKING: One of Hong Kong's last pro-democracy groups disbands citing ‘tremendous political pressure'
The pro-democracy party announced its decision in a press invite sent out on Friday. 'Next year marks the 20th anniversary of the League of Social Democrats. However, we will not survive to see that day and will announce our disbandment,' it read.
Speaking at a press conference on Sunday, LSD chair Chan Po-ying said that she could not elaborate further on the reasons behind the decision.
HKFP has contacted the police for comment.
Founded in 2006, the LSD was known for advocating democratic reform and supporting the working class. It held seats in the Legislative Council and the District Councils before an electoral overhaul in 2021 effectively barred members of the opposition from standing.
With its dissolution, the LSD joins the dozens of political parties, labour unions, and civil society groups that have disbanded since the security law was enacted.
The league's disbandment makes it the third major pro-democracy party to meet its end in recent years.
The Civic Party folded in March 2024, and the Democratic Party, the city's largest opposition group a history of three deacdes, announced in February that it would begin steps to disband.
'Long Hair' Leung Kwok-hung, Chan's husband and former LSD chair, remains in prison serving six years and nine months for subversion under the 2020 security legislation. He is among 14 democrats seeking appeals against their convictions and sentences.
Pro-democracy activist Jimmy Sham, who represented the LSD in the city's district council before his arrest in the same landmark national security case, was released last month after serving more than four years in jail.
Fernando Cheung, spokesperson of the Amnesty Hong Kong Overseas Section, said in a press release on Sunday that 'the organisation and its members have been continuously subjected to surveillance and harassment by the Hong Kong government, including repeated fines for setting up street booths; before June 4th, July 1st and other 'sensitive dates' as defined by authorities, members were summoned by the National Security Department for 'reminders' not to organise demonstrations, and were even subjected to targeted searches or arrests on those days.'
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