#LegCoElection #DQ #FailedState
When the Hong Kong SAR Government Disqualify 12 Pro-democracy Candidates, They Deny At Least 169,304 Votes from Hongkongers

Out of the 12 candidates being barred from running for election, 9 of them had joined and won the primary election organized by the pro-democracy camp on July 11 and 12, 2020:

Hong Kong Island:
- Tiffany Yuen (19,844 votes)
- Fergus Leung (14,743 votes)
-Tat Cheng (11,090 votes)

Kowloon East:
- Joshua Wong (31,398 votes)

New Territories West:
- Kwok Ka-ki (13,354 votes)

New Territories East:
- Gwyneth Ho (26,802 votes)
- Ventus Lau (26,707 votes)
- Alvin Yeung (25,366 votes)

District Council (Second):
- Lester Shum (129,074 votes)

Adding up together, these 169,304 votes obtained by these 9 candidates in the democratic primary are the will of the people of Hong Kong.

Editor's note: The Carrie Lam government delayed the Legislative Election by a year to Sept 5, 2021.

Source: Tuen Mun Community Network; Cheung Ho-sum #Jul30

#DQ #LegCoElection

The Great DQ

The total number of disqualified candidates in the Legislative Council election under the National Security law is greater than the total number of people disqualified in the last 4 years under various other reasons. The pursuit of democracy has become a 'crime' in the eyes of the autocrats.

Related reading:
When the Hong Kong SAR Government Disqualify 12 Pro-democracy Candidates, They Deny At Least 169,304 Votes from Hongkongers
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/24121

Joshua Wong Questions the Authorities' Larger Plan of Prosecution under the National Security Law In Disguise of Disqualifications

https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/23890

5 Returning Officers from Hong Kong Electoral Affairs Commission Who Disqualified 12 Pro-democracy Candidates in LegCo Election
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/23855

#LegCo #DQ #NoElection #ProvisionalCouncil #BeijingIntervention

Pro-democracy Lawmakers Eddie Chu and Raymond Chan Lean on Leaving LegCo to Denounce Beijing's Political Arrangement

Source: Stand News #Aug18

Read Part 1:
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/24384

Part 2:
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/24385

Part 3:
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/24386

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#LegCo #DQ #NoElection #ProvisionalCouncil #BeijingIntervention

Pro-democracy Lawmakers Eddie Chu and Raymond Chan Lean on Leaving LegCo to Denounce Beijing's Political Arrangement: Consensus Via Polls

Part 1/3

While the Hong Kong government, backed by Beijing, postponed the #LegCo Election for a year, it has sparked intense debate among citizens whether incumbent pro-democracy legislators should stay for an extension of the Sixth Legislative Council under the current "arrangement" approved by Beijing.

The Democracy Camp Caucus had released a statement on Monday, stating that the "majority" of legislators lean towards staying for the extension. But Raymond Chan of People Power and Eddie Chu of Council Front have made an opposite stance, advocating for the pro-democracy camp to boycott the upcoming "Provisional Legislative Council".

Chu had stated in an interview that he believes that the CCP intends to make the pro-democracy camp "painlessly accept their political appointments" while destroying the results of the pro-democracy primaries. He stated that this is the second time since 1997 for Hong Kong to have an appointed parliament, that as Beijing is changing Hong Kong society through the National Security Law and other laws, pro-democracy legislators have a single chance and the responsibility to make a strong political stance.

As to rumours regarding Chu's earlier supposed stance of staying, Chu declined to comment on the issue, while emphasising that he wished for there to be a "trustworthy platform" for the pro-democracy camp to decide whether to leave or stay.

Chan explained that leaving sends the message of opposing Chief Executive Carrie Lam's decision to delay the elections using the epidemic as an excuse and the NPC's decision, stating that, "The NPC represents Beijing's wishes, not the will of Hongkongers." He wished the pro-democracy camp could "come and go together", but stated that "it's okay if they can't manage it."

Chu and Chan met with journalists separately on Tuesday, accepting interviews to explain their stance. Chu stated the pro-democracy primaries were an important milestone, that for pro-democracy supporters, winners of the primaries "were supposed to enter the Legislative Council". He continued that as the spotlight fell upon the four disqualified councillors and their extension of service as Beijing announced their decision to extend the Sixth Legislative Council, "it made everyone ignore the heart of the problem: that this is a de facto appointment of service", stating that the pro-democracy camp's decision to accept the "appointment" would mean sabotaging the primaries results.

Chu stated that Beijing is "altering" Hong Kong society after the establishment of the National Security Law, arresting Jimmy Lai and Agnes Chow, while giving the Legislative Council preferential treatment, "as if they are welcoming us in open arms", making him more vigilant, as the Legislative Council is one of the few places the pro-democracy camp could publicly protest the government's political decision.

Continue Reading
Part 2:
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/24385

Part 3:
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/24386

Source: Stand News #Aug18
#EddieChu #RayChan

#LegCo #DQ #NoElection #ProvisionalCouncil #BeijingIntervention

Pro-democracy Lawmakers Eddie Chu and Raymond Chan Lean on Leaving LegCo to Denounce Beijing's Political Arrangement

Part 2/3
Eddie Chu: Actively Attempting to Initiate Discussions

There had been recent rumours regarding pro-democracy lawmaker Eddie Chu's earlier stance of staying in the Legislative Council.

Chu denied the rumours twice during the interview, emphasising his efforts at initiating discussions on all sides and establishing a trustworthy platform for deciding the pro-democracy camp's place in the Legislative Council, stating that his previous stances "isn't important".

Chu emphasised that he was not attempting to sabotage the unity of the pro-democracy camp, instead stating that Beijing's decision to "appoint" the Legislative Council was the true sabotager.

He called for pro-democracy legislators and legislative candidates that won the primaries to form a "working platform" in the following two weeks for them to explain their stance, and to hold a trustworthy poll "to show the public opinion for all to see". He stated that this could make the pro-democracy legislators' actions have legitimacy whether or not they decide to leave or stay while undoing the CCP's sabotage.

But since Chu had expressed his stance on boycotting the "Provisional Legislative Council", and several pro-democratic parties' supposed stance of staying, debates sparked as to their decisions, with opinions for boycotting the extension of the Legislative Council bombarding pro-democratic legislators. Sunny Cheung, seen by many to be an ally of Chu, stated that "If the pan-democracy camp continues to be stubborn, they would be the ones who sabotage the democracy movement,"; simultaneously in Chu's declaratory article, he stated that was the pro-democracy camp to ignore the lack of public authorisation and chose to stay, they would reduce to "political retainers of the CCP who lack dignity".

When confronted with the possibility of the condemning damaging the prospects of reaching a consensus, Chu compared the situation during the primaries. "Condemnations are common," stating that while emotional attacks are meaningless, politicians should not be afraid of "such squabblings", as "many more negatives would arise" if people avoided discussions.

Despite his current stance, Chu believed that staying has its advantages, but stated that some Hongkongers had coursed away from full parliamentary resistance from last year, "Don't think that you can block one evil law at a time. When the situation becomes dire enough, people won't care, or may even welcome even worse situations."

Continue Reading Part 3:
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/24386

Source: Stand News #Aug18
#EddieChu #RayChan

#LegCo #DQ #NoElection #ProvisionalCouncil #BeijingIntervention

Pro-democracy Lawmakers Eddie Chu and Raymond Chan Lean on Leaving LegCo to Denounce Beijing's Political Arrangement

Part 3/3

Wishing Legislators Would Prove Their Decisions With Action, Raymond Chan: "Hadn't Done Their Best Last Year."

Pro-democracy lawmaker Raymond Chan, of People Power, agreed that the pro-democracy camp should decide with a referendum or a poll, stating that legislators should not stay without public authorisation.

"Although a lack of elections means a lack of public authorisation, they should only be allowed to stay if the public supports their decision." He continued that although he and
Pro-democracy lawmaker
Eddie Chu had suggested random polls around Hong Kong, not many people within the pro-democracy camp found interest with the suggestion.

When confronted with the dilemma of whether those who choose to stay could use to "Provisional Legislative Council"s power well", Chan expressed his concern, as he "[doesn't] know whether they are up to the task". He stated that he did not believe in denigrations from some members of the public, such as accusations that claimed "greediness" as the reason behind their stay. But he stated that those who lean towards staying should prove their decisions with actions, not repeating mantras such as "fight 'til the end".

Chan emphasised that he had no intention of leaving people out to die or state that "only by fighting or landing in prison would it justify their purpose". But he recalled that some legislators had not "did their best" during their term, "even the pro-Beijing camp has better attendance, more speeches, and more votes." He agreed with Wu Chi-wai, chairman of the Democratic Party's opinion that having the opposition in the parliament could delay new "evil laws", but continued to emphasise the importance of proving their decisions with action, saying that, "If you're sitting there only to give speeches and vote "objection" or "abstain", I don't believe that supporters would accept this."

Addressing the fear of losing the right to speak once legislators leave the Legislative Council, Chan stated that it depends on the people for the resistance to survive, that people could have very high recognition despite not being in the Legislative Council, such as some YouTubers or key opinion leaders. He continued that no matter when people suggest a mass resignation would there be opinions against the decision, believing that staying in the Legislative Council has its advantages.

Chan also called for pro-democracy camp members who lean towards staying to listen to public opinion before making their decision or risk a more intense emotional backlash, stating that, "People would respect you or feel disappointed if you leave when they have voted for you to stay; but if you stubbornly refuse to leave when the people called for it, you attract hatred."

Source: Stand News #Aug18
#EddieChu #RayChan

Read the 3-part Series on Democracy Front's Debates on Whether Incumbent Pro-dem Lawmakers shall Serve in Extended Term Under Beijing's LegCo Arrangement:

Part 1:
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/24384

Part 2:
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/24385

Part 3:
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/24386

#ProvisionalCouncil
15 Pro-Dem Legislators' Stay in #LegCo to be Decided by Public Opinion Poll

The pro-democracy legislators' decision of whether or not to stay in the Legislative Council for the next year has been up to debate, after the Carrie Lam adminstration postponed the Legislative Election by a year.

15 pro-democracy legislators had decided to use a public opinion poll to determine their stay in the Legislative Council, with the Democratic Party entrusting the Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institute (#HKPORI) to conduct one.

Chairman of Democratic Party Wu Chi-wai stated that they would leave if half of all participating supporters believes that the pro-democracy camp should leave the Legislative Council.

Participating legislators include seven from the Democratic Party, five from the Civic Party, Claudia Mo from HK First, Fernando Cheung from the Labour Party and Shiu Ka-chun from the Social Welfare functional constituency. Leung Yiu-chung from the Neighbourhood and Worker's Service Centre also expressed that he would take the polls to account.

HKPORI Director Prof. Robert Chung believes that the Institute had decreased the gray area in the current threshold, but stated that "politically neutral" participants would also be taken in account, causing the percentage for those in favour or against the stay to be both not more than half.

When asked about the protocol for such an event, Wu stated that they would take different information into account before making a political judgement.

As for why they were only taking supporters of the participating legislators into account, and not towards all pro-democratic supporters, the Democractic Party stated that it had once considered for all supporters of the pro-democratic camp to participate, but Prof. Chung denied the request stating that the legislator's citizen authorisation came from their supporters.

Prof. Chung had been adamant on Friday, stating that were pro-democratic legislators not tied down, they should not have asked for authorisation.

Source: Ming Pao #Sept5

#DemocraticParty #WuChiWai #RobertChung #Methodology #PublicOpinion #Authorization

======
Read the 3-part Series on Democracy Front's Dillemma on Whether Incumbent Pro-dem Lawmakers shall Serve in Extended Term Under Beijing's LegCo Arrangement:

Part 1:
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/24384

Part 2:
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/24385

Part 3:
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/24386

#LegCo #CCPControl #DQ #ProvisionalLegCo
Pro-democracy Lawmakers in HK Vow Mass Resignation over any Disqualification by the Authorities

Source: Apple Daily #Nov9

Read more
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#LegCo #CCPControl #DQ #ProvisionalLegCo
Pro-democracy Lawmakers in HK Vow Mass Resignation over any Disqualification by the Authorities

According to sources, Beijing planned to remove certain pro-democratic legislators from Hong Kong's Legislative Council.

Pro-democracy camp's convener Wu Chi-wai said that all pro-democracy legislators had agreed that once the PRC's National People's Congress Standing Committee (#NPCSC) had decided to disqualify pro-democracy lawmakers in Hong Kong, they would resign en masse without regrets. This is to show the Chinese Communist Party and the world that, they were strongly against the regime's abusive interference in Hong Kong's legislature.

Wu added that if the NPCSC disqualifies any democrats , this would only mean that the democratic camp had incurred Beijing's wrath by carrying their duty to monitor the government.

Wu also criticized Beijing's unconstitutional decision of disqualification, which reflected CCP's blatant disrespect to Hong Kong people's voices and opinions.

Wu slammed the pro-Beijing camp, who supported the dismissal of the democrats for the use of filibustering. Wu stated that the Basic Law had conferred the lawmakers the power to supervise the government and call for the quorum to be counted in the chamber.

Wu criticized that it was ridiculous for the pro-Beijing legislators to palm off the responsibility of 'failing to convene the meeting' to the pro-democrats.

When asked whether he was regretted choosing to remain in the chamber for another year, Wu answered that the core of the problem lied in the government, who cannot even tolerate the lawmakers exercising their power to vet the bills conferred by the council's rules of procedure.

Source: Apple Daily #Nov9
https://hk.appledaily.com/local/20201109/FMOIT275LNH7LNMHDDQ3QRILSU/

#MassResignation

Free World Against Chinese Communist Party for PRC's
"Total Hostility to Democratic Accountability"

Chris Patten, Hong Kong's last governor, spoke on Beijing's removal of pro-democracy lawmakers on Nov 11, 2020:

"This is yet another example of the Chinese Communist Party trampling on what is left of democracy in Hong Kong.

Once again, Xi Jinping's regime has demonstrated its total hostility to democratic accountability, and those who wish to stand up for it."

Benedict Rogers of Hong Kong Watch described the unrepresentative legislature without its oppositional camp as a "rubber stamp".

UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab called it "a further assault on Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy and freedoms under the UK-China Joint Declaration".

Source: Hong Kong Watch; UK Foreign Ministry #Nov11

#DQ #ChrisPatten #Raab

#DQ #MassResignation #LegCo
HK Pro-dem Lawmaker Claudia Mo Submits Resignation in Black Clothes with a Yellow Umbrella

On Nov 11, 2020, he PRC's Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress forcefully disqualifies 4 elected lawmakers in Hong Kong, citing that their "lack of devotion for Beijing and the Hong Kong government" as a reason.

Read more:
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/26565

After the announcement with immediate effect, the majority of the pro-democracy camp decided to quit.

On the afternoon of Nov 12 2020, pro-democracy lawmaker Claudia Mo, donning black and holding a yellow umbrella, submitted her resignation at Legislative Council's Secretariat.

Mo told the journalists that she went through the 2014 Umbrella Revolution and the 2019 Anti-ELAB movement while being a lawmaker for two terms. She chose to wear black clothes and carry a yellow umbrella to commemorate the day.

Source: Stand News #Nov12
https://www.facebook.com/710476795704610/posts/3637576039661323/

#ClaudiaMo

#FailedState #LegCo
A City Without the Opposition Camp in its Legislature

After Beijing forcefully removed by "disqualifying" four seating elected lawmakers, 15 pro-democracy lawmakers resigned en masse.

Without the opposition camp, the legislative council in Hong Kong has become a social club for the Beijing loyalists, who chitter-chattered and munched during the Finance Committee meeting on November 13, 2020.

The photo captured how Committee's Chair Chan Kin-por casually adjourned the meeting for a break, when he was sighted passing on a pack of biscuits to another Beijing loyalist, Chow Ho-ding.

Source: Stand News #Nov13
#PoliticalOppression #BeijingLoyalist #DQ

#DQ #LegCoElection
Beijing Disqualify Elected Legislators in Hong Kong to Silence Critics, says #FiveEyesAlliance

Source: The Stand News #Nov19

Read more
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#DQ #LegCoElection
Beijing Disqualify Elected Legislators in Hong Kong to Silence Critics, says #FiveEyesAlliance

The Five Eyes Alliance, an intelligence coalition formed by the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, issued a joint statement expressing serious concern regarding decision of China's Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPCSC) on “Issues Relating to the Qualification of the Members of the Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region”, which resulted in the disqualification of four elected legislators, describing it as part of a campaign to silence all critical voices.

The statement urge Chinese government to reconsider their decision, and immediately reinstate the Legislative Council members. It stated that for the the stability and prosperity of Hong Kong, China and Hong Kong authorities must respect the channels for the people of Hong Kong to express their legitimate concerns and opinions. It further reminds China as a leading member of the international community, is expected to live up to its international commitments and its duty to the people of Hong Kong.

Source: Stand News #Nov19

#UK #UnitedStates #Canada #Australia #NewZealand #HongKong #China #Disqualification #LegislativeCouncil #NPCSC

#NationalSecurityLaw #Asylum
HK Pro-democracy activist and Former Lawmaker #SixtusLeung seeks political asylum in US

Sixtus Leung Chung-heng told a reporter on December 11, 2020 that he has fled Hong Kong and is seeking political asylum in the United States.

On his Facebook, Leung declared the severance of all ties with his family in Hong Kong and resignation from his position and duties at the pro-independence political party #Youngspiration.

The former Youngspiration member said that after being "illegitimately deprived of his representation and voting rights", he'd been bankrupted, imprisoned and harassed under the National Security Law.

Leung opinioned that conditions have deteriorated since China forcefully imposed security laws in June, 2020 in Hong Kong. “Every day when we wake up, when we look at the mobile (phone) screen, the issue of first thing that pop up is: who of our friends are being arrested; who among our friends is being sentenced to jail."

See Haven Assistance's Statement:
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/27241

Leung served four weeks in prison earlier in 2020 after being convicted of taking part in an unlawful assembly while trying to push his way into a Legco meeting four years ago. He also faces bankruptcy proceedings after Legco demanded him to return almost one million dollars in salary and other funding that he received prior to his disqualification.

Leung said in Washington that he hopes to meet with advisers of President-elect Joe Biden to urge him to ramp up pressure on China, pointing out that the United States should target Hong Kong's financial sector with tougher sanctions to deprive China of its 'ATM' and force Beijing to the negotiating table over its crackdown on the SAR.

He also suggested action to block Chinese banks from using Swift, a network used by banks globally to make financial transactions, and also target Hong Kong dollar's peg to the US currency "to try to force China to back to the negotiation table".

Source: Haven Assistance; RTHK; Reuters; #Dec11
https://t.me/rthk_new_e/14683

#Oppression #HongKongProtests #DQ #LegCo #US #Refugee #HavenAssistance

#WhiteTerror #PoliticalSuppression #DQ
HKGovernment's Crackdown Causes Hundreds of District Councillors to Resign; Tommy Cheung Sau-yin criticizes: “Why leaving when we've done nothing wrong?”

In Hong Kong, directly elected district councillors are expected to take an oath of allegiance for the Basic Law within July 2021. However, a recent notice from the government claimed that the district councillors would be disqualified and asked to returned the salary they receivrd since they took office.

If this is the case, each person would have to pay back more than one million Hong Kong dollars.

As of July 9, nearly 100 pro-democracy #DistrictCouncillors announced their resignation one after another, while some of them said they would stay behind.

Yuen Long District Councillor #Tommy Sau-yin Cheung announced on social media platform on the morning of July 9, 2021 that he would not resign.

Cheung said, “I decide to uphold the public authorization since winning the election, and continue to take the last path of my political life”. He also stated that he would not regret making this decision.

He said the government has no justifiable reason nor legal basis to deprive him of his qualification as a District Councillor.

Tuen Mun District Councillor Kenneth Cheung Kam-hung pointed out that the government was using intimidation tactics to make District Councillors retreat and weaken the voice of the opposition.

Vice Chairman of Kwai Tsing District Council Cheung Man-lung commented that the resignation of a large amount of pro-democracy District Councillors will paralyze the district-level work and will cause inconvenience to fellow citizens.

Source: InMedia #Jul9
https://bit.ly/3yEfvCC

#DistrictCouncil #TommyCheung #PoliceState #Intimidation #Crackdown #Salary

#PoliticalSuppression #DistrictCouncil #DQ
Former Democratic District Councillors Opt to Stay after Resignation and Open Stalls for Wine-Selling, “Want to Slow Down the Collapse of Civil Society"

Source: Stand News; #Aug13

Read more
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