Nine Hong Kong activists were jailed Wednesday for taking part in a ceremony honoring the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests. The pro-democracy activists are facing up to 10 months in jail. The nine are part of a group of 12 defendants who pleaded guilty earlier this month for participating in the ceremony. Three others were given suspended sentences. The ceremony had traditionally been held every year to honor the June 4, 1989 student-led pro-democracy protests in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square. The students called for an end to official corruption, political reforms and a more democratic society. The government response turned violent, and many demonstrators died. All nine activists were charged with taking part in an illegal gathering. Seven of them are facing an additional charge of persuading others to take part in the event. Police last year banned the annual ceremony for the first time in 30 years. Police said the ban was needed for public health reasons related to COVID-19, but critics say the ban is part of ongoing measures to stop political dissent. In 2019, there were months of anti-government protests in Hong Kong, which is a partly independent Chinese territory.