HK pair lose appeal over insults ruling
Print Edition
TWO Hong Kong lawmakers-elect yesterday lost their appeal against a ruling disqualifying them from office because they had insulted the Chinese nation when taking oaths that they had altered.
The Court of Appeal backed a judgment earlier this month barring Sixtus Leung and Yau Wai-ching from taking their seats in Hong Kong's Legislative Council.
It agreed with the High Court that the two effectively declined to take the oath, violating the city's Basic Law.
At the swearing-in ceremony in October, Leung and Yau modified the oath, which requires pledging allegiance to Hong Kong as a part of China, by referring to the "Hong Kong nation" and using a derogatory term for the Chinese nation. They also displayed a flag that said ÒHong Kong is not China." Yau, 25, swore and Leung, 30, crossed his fingers.
"There can be no innocent explanation for what they uttered and did," the ruling said. "What has been done was done deliberately and intentionally."
The judgment came as the government announced plans to take a third lawmaker to court.
The department of justice said it would initiate proceedings against teacher Lau Siu-lai. It gave no further detail on the grounds for the case.
Lau's oath had been rejected during her swearing in as she read the pledge at a snail's pace, leaving long gaps between every word.
Later, given a second chance to read it, she was able to take up her seat.
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