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EDITOR IN CHIEF- ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI

HK court disqualifies FOUR rebel lawmAkers

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HONG KONG: Activists accused Beijing of crippling Hong Kong’s parliament on Friday after four pro-democracy lawmakers were disqualified.


The High Court judgement is a massive blow for the democracy movement as it means the balance of power in the partially elected legislature swings further to the pro-China camp because opponents do not have enough seats to veto bills.


Former Umbrella Movement protest leader Nathan Law was among those barred in a case brought by the semi-autonomous city’s Beijing-friendly government after the four changed their oaths of office to reflect frustrations with Chinese authorities.


Law was one of several rebel lawmakers to secure a foothold in parliament at citywide elections in September 2016 in what was seen as a victory for the protest movement.


But that triumph was soon jeopardised after Beijing issued a special interpretation of Hong Kong’s mini-constitution in November to insist oaths be taken in a “sincere and solemn” manner.


The unprecedented intervention was prompted by a string of protests during the swearing in of lawmakers the month before.


The High Court said on Friday Beijing’s ruling was “binding” and that the court’s decision to bar the four retrospectively was not politically motivated.


Concerns China is squeezing Hong Kong have sparked calls by some activists for self-determination or even independence for the city, angering Beijing.


The dismissed legislators were not staunchly pro-independence but at least two of them have advocated self-determination for Hong Kong.


They were attending a parliamentary finance committee meeting as the judgement was issued and were asked to leave. The session was abruptly adjourned.


Law’s party Demosisto condemned “the manifest interference of the Beijing government to cripple Hong Kong’s legislative power”.


The 24-year-old was one of the most popular candidates to win a seat, gaining 50,000 votes to make him Hong Kong’s youngest ever lawmaker.


He called on protesters to gather on Friday night.


“Suppression is not scary,” he told reporters.


“The most scary thing is that people get used to it and are not willing to come out, to fight.”


Campaign group Human Rights Watch described the judgement as a “another alarming blow” to Hong Kong’s autonomy. — AFP


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