• About
  • Advertise
  • Careers
  • Write for us
  • Contact
  • Terms of service
No Result
View All Result
Saturday, March 6, 2021
THE MILLENNIAL SOURCE
  • World
  • US
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Profiles
  • Lifestyle
    • Food & Travel
    • Tech & Money
    • Health
    • Entertainment
  • Newsletter
TMS
No Result
View All Result
Home WORLD

12 pro-democracy candidates banned from Hong Kong legislative elections

byThe Millennial Source
July 30, 2020
in WORLD
Reading Time: 3 minute read
12 pro-democracy candidates banned from Hong Kong legislative elections

Source: NYTimes

Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Linkedin



On Thursday, the Hong Kong government formally disqualified 12 opposition candidates from running in the upcoming elections for seats in the city’s legislature. 

Among those disqualified was Joshua Wong, a prominent pro-democracy activist and former leader of the 2014 Occupy Central movement. Other candidates who were disqualified include fellow activists who were involved in last year’s democracy protests, as well as several acting lawmakers and district councillors. 

In what he called the “biggest-ever crackdowns on the city’s election,” Wong confirmed on Twitter that his candidacy had been invalidated.

“#Beijing shows a total disregard for the will of the #Hongkongers, tramples upon the city’s last pillar of vanishing autonomy and attempts to keep #HK’s legislature under its firm grip,” he wrote. 

4. Clealy, #Beijing shows a total disregard for the will of the #Hongkongers, tramples upon the city’s last pillar of vanishing autonomy and attempts to keep #HK’s legislature under its firm grip.

— Joshua Wong 黃之鋒 😷 (@joshuawongcf) July 30, 2020

The Hong Kong government issued a statement saying that the candidates were not fit to run for office if they had previously advocated for Hong Kong independence, solicited intervention from foreign governments, expressed an “objection in principle” to the national security law, expressed intention to oppose the government’s legislative proposals “so as to force the government to accede to certain political demands,” or refused to recognize China’s exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong.

On these grounds, the candidates in question could not “genuinely uphold” Hong Kong’s Basic Law, according to the statement, confirming fears that any opposition to the contentious national security law – before or after its enactment – was grounds for dismissal. They also stated that more disqualifications could not be ruled out.

“There is no question of any political censorship, restriction of the freedom of speech or deprivation of the right to stand for elections as alleged by some members of the community,” read the statement, rebutting accusations that the move was an attempt to stifle free speech.

This move ruled out almost all of Hong Kong’s opposition camp under the requirement that candidates must not object to the national security law. According to a poll conducted by Reuters before the law’s promulgation, about 56% of Hong Kong residents opposed the legislation, with only 34% expressing support.

Opposition lawmaker Dennis Kwok, one of the disqualified candidates, said in a news conference “Today we are seeing the results of the relentless oppression that this regime is starting not only just to take away the basic fundamental rights and freedoms that were once enjoyed by all Hong Kong people, but they also trying to drive fear and repression into our hearts.” 

The decision has also garnered international condemnation, with Chris Patten, the former British colonial governor of Hong Kong, calling it an “outrageous political purge.”

“The National Security law is being used to disenfranchise the majority of Hong Kong’s citizens. It is obviously now illegal to believe in democracy… This is the sort of behaviour that you would expect in a police state,” said Patten.

Amnesty International also released a statement by Hong Kong’s Program Manager Lam Cho-ming, which responded to the barring of the 12 candidates.

“For all the Hong Kong government’s insistence that these decisions do not restrict ‘freedom of speech’, its actions reek of political repression,” read the statement. “These disqualifications appear to be arbitrary, given that the authorities’ own justification makes clear their intention to punish peaceful criticism and advocacy of opposing views.”

Have a tip or story? Get in touch with our reporters at [email protected]

Like TMS? Subscribe to our free daily newsletter

Related

Tags: AsiaPoliticsShort read
ShareTweetShare

Latest Posts

After raising US$8.3 billion in loans, what’s Tencent going to do next?

After raising US$8.3 billion in loans, what’s Tencent going to do next?

March 4, 2021
How would Senator Elizabeth Warren’s 2% wealth tax work?

How would Senator Elizabeth Warren’s 2% wealth tax work?

March 4, 2021
After an ascendant 2020, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is having a terrible 2021

After an ascendant 2020, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is having a terrible 2021

March 3, 2021

The Biden administration’s changes to the Paycheck Protection Program

March 2, 2021

The Dasgupta Review offers economically viable solutions for combating climate change

March 2, 2021

Here are the biggest take-aways from CPAC 2021

March 1, 2021

The House passed a COVID relief bill. What’s in it?

February 28, 2021

The Dasgupta Review urges us to rethink the economics of climate change and nature

February 28, 2021

China’s Lunar New Year experiment with digital currency

February 28, 2021
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Careers
  • Write for us
  • Contact
  • Terms of service

© 2020 The Millennial Source Ltd.

No Result
View All Result
  • World
  • US
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Profiles
  • Lifestyle
    • Food & Travel
    • Tech & Money
    • Health
    • Entertainment
  • Newsletter

© 2020 The Millennial Source Ltd.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Create New Account!

Fill the forms bellow to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website.

You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in settings.

The Millennial Source
Powered by  GDPR Cookie Compliance
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

Strictly Necessary Cookies

Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.