Hong Kong disqualifies four legislators for 'endangering security'
World

Hong Kong disqualifies four legislators for ‘endangering security’

Hong Kong disqualified 4 opposition members of its legislature on Wednesday for endangering safety, elevating the prospect of a walk-out by pro-democracy legislators who oppose what they see as Beijing`s ever tighter grip on the town.

The expulsions got here shortly after China`s parliament adopted a decision permitting the town`s govt to expel legislators deemed to be supporting Hong Kong independence, colluding with overseas forces or threatening nationwide safety, with out having to undergo the courts.

On Monday, the then 19 democratic members of the 70-seat metropolis legislature threatened to resign en masse if any of them was disqualified.

While the town`s Legislative Council is managed by a pro-Beijing camp, the resignations of its pro-democracy lawmakers would flip it right into a rubber stamp.

The opposition members have tried to make a stand towards what many individuals within the former British colony see as Beijing`s whittling away of freedoms and institutional checks and balances, regardless of a promise of a excessive diploma of autonomy.

“My mission as a legislator to fight for democracy and freedom cannot continue but I would certainly go along if Hong Kong people continue to fight for the core values of Hong Kong,” one of many disqualified meeting members, Kwok Ka-Ki, instructed reporters.

China denies curbing rights and freedoms within the world monetary hub, however authorities in Hong Kong and Beijing have moved swiftly to stifle dissent after anti-government protests flared in June final yr and plunged the town into disaster.

The metropolis authorities stated in a press release the 4 legislators – Kwok, Alvin Yeung, Dennis Kwok and Kenneth Leung – had been expelled from the meeting for endangering nationwide safety. It didn’t elaborate.

They had been amongst 12 legislators who had been earlier disqualified from standing in a legislative election, now postponed, for varied causes together with collusion with overseas forces and opposition to the brand new nationwide safety regulation.

`IGNORES RIGHTS`

The disqualifications are seemingly so as to add to concern within the West about Hong Kong`s autonomy, promised below a “one country, two systems” system when Britain handed it to China in 1997, as Joe Biden prepares to take over from Donald Trump as U.S. president, promising to advertise democracy all over the world.

“This completely violates the `one country, two systems` proper procedures and ignores basic human rights,” Dennis Kwok instructed reporters.

The decision by the Chinese parliament`s high decision-making physique clearing the way in which for the disqualifications comes amid frustration in pro-Beijing circles in Hong Kong over what they see as opposition “delay tactics” to hinder laws.

Filibustering has lengthy been frequent in Hong Kong the place solely half of the 70 seats within the legislature are elected and the opposite half stacked with pro-Beijing figures.

This month, eight opposition politicians had been arrested in reference to a gathering within the Legislative Council in May that descended into chaos.

On June 30, Beijing launched sweeping nationwide safety laws to the town, punishing something China considers subversion, secessionism, terrorism and collusion with overseas forces with as much as life in jail.

Since then, authorities have eliminated some pro-democracy books from libraries, banned sure songs and different actions in faculties, declared some slogans unlawful and raided the newsroom of an anti-government tabloid.

Critics say the authorities try to kill the momentum of the pro-democracy motion. Government supporters say the authorities try to revive stability in China`s freest metropolis after a yr of unrest.

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