Hong Kong Chief Executive Confirms Two Lawmakers Barred From Office
18:26 07.11.2016(updated 18:27 07.11.2016)
Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying confirmed that two of the newly-elected members of the current-term Legislative Council (LegCo), who violated the oath-taking procedure through refusing to declare their allegiance to Beijing, will not take the office, press release by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region said.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Following the oath-taking ceremony, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPCSC) issued interpretation to the Article 104 of the Basic Law regarding requirement for oath-taking by public officers.
"The Interpretation has clarified that any oath taken in a manner that is not sincere or solemn is considered a "decline" to take an oath, and that the oath taken is rendered invalid. As such, the person taking the oath is regarded as having forthwith lost his/her qualification for the corresponding public office and they therefore cannot assume such public office, nor exercise his/her duties or enjoy the corresponding benefits of the office," Chun-ying said, as quoted by the statement.
On October 5, six Hong Kong activists, who were behind the September 2014 protest movements in the city and are seeking greater autonomy from China, were elected to the Legislative Council.
On October 12, LegCo members Leung Chung-hang and Yau Wai-ching, deliberately violated the oath-taking procedure and content requirements as they used curse words allegedly insulting China and its people at the swearing ceremony.
The protests dubbed the Umbrella Revolution began in September 2014 in Hong Kong in response to the Chinese authorities' proposed reforms to the Hong Kong electoral system. Protesters demanded direct elections of the city's chief executive to replace the suggested two-step process.
© Sputnik
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