HONG KONG • Hong Kong’s High Court yesterday ruled in favour of barring a pro-independence activist from standing in an election, saying it is «fundamental» for lawmakers to accept the city as an inalienable part of China..
HONG KONG • Hong Kong’s High Court yesterday ruled in favour of barring a pro-independence activist from standing in an election, saying it is «fundamental» for lawmakers to accept the city as an inalienable part of China.
The former British colony, which returned to China in 1997, does not enjoy full democracy, but an election that fills half of the 70-seat legislature once every four years. It is considered the most open under a «one country, two systems» arrangement under which the city is ruled.
However, alarm bells were raised over the rights and freedoms enshrined in that arrangement when six legislators elected in 2016 and at least nine other candidates from the opposition were disqualified as Beijing tightened its grip in the aftermath of the 2014 pro-democracy «Umbrella Movement» protests.
Yesterday’s case concerned pro-independence advocate Andy Chan, who had signed a declaration saying he would uphold the city’s mini-constitution, the Basic Law, when he applied to run for office in 2016.
