Hong Kong Activist Writes From Prison: “Don’t Let Them Grind Down Your Edges”

Chow Hang-tung, one of Hong Kong’s most outspoken democracy activists, has been detained since 2021. From her cell, she has written essays on everything from clothing to Tiananmen Square—and the true meaning of freedom. In one piece, Chow describes worrying about her hairstyle before court appearances. 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’.” Chow’s writings come after she and other organisers of the Tiananmen Square vigil in Hong Kong were found guilty of “inciting subversion.” The verdict was handed down in August 2026. Her essays offer a rare, personal glimpse into life under detention—and a defiant stand against erasure.