Hong Kong High Court disqualifies four legislative council members
POLITICS
By Huang Xinwei

2017-07-14 16:00 GMT+8

By CGTN's Mao Dan

The High Court of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region on Friday removed four lawmakers from the legislative assembly after the Legislative Council invalidated their oaths of office.

The court found it clear in law that the four lawmakers-elect declined or deliberately neglected to take the oath back on October 12, 2016, and were thus disqualified from assuming or entering the office for such a politically-motivated behavior.

Former chief executive Leung Chun-ying and Secretary for Justice Rimsky Yuen applied for the case against the four lawmakers in December.

After the court handed down the judgement, the Legislative Council President Andrew Leung Kwan-yuen told reporters that Hong Kong is ruled by law, so "we should believe in the judicial system in Hong Kong".

Another two local lawmakers-elect during their October 12 swearing-in session used insulting words toward the country, and were disqualified by the court for failing to take the oath.

A month after the saga dragged out, Beijing issued an interpretation of the Basic Law deeming that lawmakers must complete their oaths accurately and in a sincere and solemn manner. 

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