Hong Kong disqualifies a dozen pro-democracy candidates from running for office
Today, a dozen pro-democracy candidates were disqualified from Legislative Council elections in Hong Kong. The government made clear that dissent to the national security law that Beijing imposed on July 1 is now a disqualifying condition.
The Hong Kong government is continuing its strict enforcement of the national security law that Beijing imposed on the territoryย on July 1. Already this week, two publiclyย fundedย universities got rid of faculty with links to protests on July 27 and 28, and four young pro-independence activists were arrested on July 29.
Today, the South China Morning Post reports:
Hong Kongโs opposition camp has suffered a stunning blow, with at least 12 members, including veteran and moderate politicians, barred from running in the Legislative Council elections, while the government has warned that more may be disqualified.
Those disqualified included:
- Joshua Wongย (้ปไน้ Huรกng Zhฤซfฤng), the young pro-democracy activist. Authorities noted that Wong had described the national security law as โdraconianโ in their explanation for his disqualification, per the Hong Kong Free Press.
- Alvin Yeungย (ๆฅๅฒณๆฉ Yรกng Yuรจqiรกo), the leader of the Civic Party, and a political moderate.
- Dennis Kwokย (้ญๆฆฎ้ Guล Rรณngkฤng), also in the Civic Party.
- Gwyneth Hoย (ไฝๆก่ Hรฉ Guรฌlรกn), a social activist and former journalist.
The Hong Kong government issued a statementย explaining why it supported the disqualifications. The statement made clear that โexpressing an objection in principle to the enactment of the National Security Lawโ is now a disqualifying offense, among several others.
- This is not a surprise:ย As legal scholar Jerome Cohen pointed outย when the national security law text was released, one of four major changes it made to Hong Kongโs laws was that candidates for any elected office would need to endorse the law in order to avoid disqualification.
More to read on the candidate disqualifications and the international reaction:
- Hong Kong is keeping pro-democracy candidates out of its electionย / NYT (porous paywall)
- Kinling Lo ็งๅปบ้ on Twitter: โA quick summary of the official reasons the election office has used for disqualifying Civic Party candidate Dennis Kwok that I saw in a document sent to meโ
- Hong Kong: outcry as activists arrested and pro-democracy candidates bannedย / Guardian
- Hong Kong elections: candidate disqualification faces international criticismย / SCMP
- Ex-governor Chris Patten says China conducting โan outrageous political purgeโ in Hong Kongย / HKFP
