Court Setback For Longhair Over Disqualification

Ousted lawmaker Leung Kwok-hung has failed in his latest court attempt to challenge his disqualification from Legco in 2017.

A three-judge panel at the High Court refused to grant leave to the former League of Social Democrats legislator, popularly known as Longhair, to take his appeal case to the Court of Final Appeal.

Leung was not present at the court hearing on Thursday.

He could still apply directly to the city's highest court if he decides to.

Leung and five other pro-democracy lawmakers – Sixtus Leung, Yau Wai-ching, Lau Siu-lai, Nathan Law and Edward Yiu – were disqualified for the way they took their oaths in 2016.

The former lawmaker had already lost an appeal over the case in February. The Court of Appeal upheld a lower court ruling that had disqualified him.

His lawyer had argued that the issue should be discussed at the city's top court because it's of great general or public importance.

But in striking down the request, the High Court panel says that was simply "a repetition" of his earlier arguments, and that "the second attempt by Leung to apply for leave is an abuse of process and must be firmly rejected".