Human rights advocacy groups and the Democratic Progressive Party (DDP) in Taiwan are organizing a grand candle light vigil on Tuesday evening at Liberty Square in Taipei to commemorate the 24th anniversary of China's 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre.
Around 150, 000 people are expected to attend the candle vigil in memory of the victims of the Tiananmen Square protest where thousands of people lost their lives under China's communist military crackdown on this same day- June 4 ,1989.
The groups, which include Taiwan Democracy Watch, Taiwan Association for China Human Rights, the Taiwan Association for Human Rights and a student group for the promotion of Democracy in China told Taipei Times that this year's commemoration would have a stronger presence compared to previous years.
Earlier, the groups had urged Beijing to grant political rehabilitation to the victims of the 1989 crackdown, but this year they are demanding that Beijing bring the culprits to court.
"Because Beijing has never stopped oppressing dissidents, demanding their rehabilitation is a passive move, which is why we have decided to take our demands a step further this year by highlighting accountability," said Jin Yu, member of the student advocacy group, according to the Taipei Times.
Beijing has beefed up security in the city and prominent potential 'threats' including scholars and activists have been allegedly confined to their homes. Till date, no news of any major event in Beijing for the day has been reported.
"I do not know, I can't go to Tiananmen Square," said Tsering Woeser, a Beijing based Tibetan writer and activist when International Business Times asked her about the situation at the square.
Click here to watch the live-stream of the candle light vigil, which will set off at 8 p.m. (local time) Tuesday.
