- Title: Hong Kong protesters demand true universal suffrage
- Date: 1st January 2017
- Summary: VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS MARCHING ON MAIN STREET
- Embargoed: 16th January 2017 11:58
- Keywords: Hong Kong China protest suffrage voting election
- Location: HONG KONG, CHINA
- City: HONG KONG, CHINA
- Country: China
- Topics: Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
- Reuters ID: LVA0025X90NK5
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: AUDIO QUALITY AS INCOMING ON SHOT 8
Thousands of people took to the streets of Hong Kong on Sunday (January 1), demanding their right to universal suffrage while showing their support for four pro-democracy lawmakers who are facing potential disqualification.
The former British colony will elect a new leader in late March and incumbent chief executive, Leung Chun-ying, announced in December that he would not stand for a second five-year term.
All candidates have to be approved by a 1,200-strong Election Committee, largely made up of pro-Beijing establishment figures, which will then vote from among them for a new leader.
Hong Kong returned to China under the "one country, two systems" agreement that ensured its freedoms and wide-ranging autonomy, including a separate legal system.
But Communist Party rulers in Beijing have ultimate control, and some Hong Kong residents say they are concerned about increasing interference from mainland politicians to head off dissent.
Au Nok-hin, convener of the Civil Human Rights Front group that organised the annual demonstration, told Reuters that their aim was to put true universal suffrage back into focus.
"We hope that in the new year, as we will have our chief executive election, we really hope that the new leader rethinks election reforms and gives us true universal suffrage," said Au.
Protesters marched through the main streets of Hong Kong carrying colourful banners calling for voting rights.
One of the protesters said she could no longer ignore Hong Kong's problems.
"I've come to realize there are many problems in Hong Kong. Which is why I feel like I have to protest and share my thoughts," said a young woman who was partaking the protest for the first time.
Other protesters said they wanted to show support for the four Hong Kong pro-democracy lawmakers who are facing a government-led judicial review that could lead to their disqualification.
Incumbent Chief Executive Leung and Justice Secretary Rimsky Yuen launched a legal bid to disqualify lawmakers Nathan Law, Edward Yiu, Lau Siu-lai and Leng Kwok-hung after successfully unseating two pro-independence lawmakers-elect, Yau wai-ching and Sixtus 'Baggio' Leung.
"These people are elected by more than 100,000 voters, and yet the government's nonsensical actions have stripped Hong Kong resident's rights," one protester said.
The four legislators are attempting to access legal aid for their case - set to resume on February 6 - and are also raising funds for lawyers.
Law, who is the youngest person to become a Hong Kong legislator at the age of 23, said he was not so worried about the court case, but was concerned about Hong Kong people's waning determination to fight for their own rights.
"What I'm scared the most is that people experiencing the government depriving their rights, but they don't know how to resist, they don't come out to say 'no'. That's what I'm afraid of. So I hope that in the future or in this demonstration we can get as much people as we can in order to express our utmost anger towards the behaviours of the government," he said.
Organisers said as many as 9,150 people took part in the demonstration marching from Hong Kong's Victoria Park to the city centre. Police recorded 4,800 participants at the peak of the protest. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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