Hong Kong court disqualifies two pro-independence lawmakers from taking office

Record ID: 78740

  • Title: Hong Kong court disqualifies two pro-independence lawmakers from taking office
  • Date: 15th November 2016
  • Summary: HONG KONG, CHINA (NOVEMBER 15, 2016) (REUTERS) ****WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** MEDIA OUTSIDE HONG KONG HIGH COURT SIGN READING: "THE HIGH COURT" VARIOUS OF DISQUALIFIED PRO-INDEPENDENCE LAWMAKER YAU WAI-CHING REPORTERS (SOUNDBITE) (English) DISQUALIFIED LAWMAKER, YAU WAI-CHING, SAYING: "It is expected because the Government do such kind of actions to give some stress to the judge and so it would have such kind of results today." COPY OF THE JUDGE RULING YAU HOLDING COPY OF JUDGE RULING PHOTOGRAPHERS WIDE OF YAU HOLDING COPY OF JUDGE RULING LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL PRESIDENT, ANDREW LEUNG, ARRIVING AT NEWS CONFERENCE REPORTERS AND NEWS CAMERA (SOUNDBITE) (English) LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL PRESIDENT, ANDREW LEUNG, SAYING: "As there are grey areas between the Cap 11, the oath and the declaration ordinance and the power of the oath taker administrator such as the clerk of LegCo and then subsequently myself, this clarification will help future oath-taking proceedings. REPORTERS LEUNG LEAVING NEWS CONFERENCE
  • Embargoed: 30th November 2016 10:44
  • Keywords: Hong Kong China High Court pro-independence lawmakers disqualified oath
  • Location: HONG KONG, CHINA
  • City: HONG KONG, CHINA
  • Country: China
  • Topics: Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA00158K13K5
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:A Hong Kong court on Tuesday (November 15) disqualified two pro-independence lawmakers from taking office, ruling their oath of allegiance invalid in a judgment in step with Beijing, which last week intervened in the city's legal system.
    Democratically elected legislators Yau Wai-ching, 25, and Baggio Leung, 30, sparked controversy when they displayed a banner declaring "Hong Kong is not China" and substituted derogatory terms for "China" while taking their oaths last month.
    Beijing ruled that Hong Kong legislators must swear allegiance to Hong Kong as part of China, adding that candidates who take the oath of office in an insincere manner will be disqualified and not given another chance to swear in.
    Judge Thomas Au said he would have made the ruling anyway, without the controversial intervention by China's parliament.
    The pair have yet to announce whether or not they will appeal, but Yau told reporters outside court that Beijing influenced the ruling.
    "It is expected because the Government do such kind of actions to give some stress to the judge and so it would have such kind of results today," she said.
    President of the Legislative Council, Andrew Leung said the court's decision will help for future oath-taking sessions.
    "As there are grey areas between the Cap 11, the oath and the declaration ordinance and the power of the oath taker administrator such as the clerk of LegCo and subsequently myself, this clarification will help future oath-taking proceedings," he told reporters at a news conference.
    Hong Kong, a former British colony, returned to China in 1997 under a "one country, two systems" agreement that ensured its freedoms and wide-ranging autonomy, including a separate legal system.
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