Demosisto Makes Legal Bid For Official Recognition

Pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong has asked the High Court for a judicial review over the authorities' refusal to register his political party.

Demosisto made the application to the Companies Registry in March 2016 and the registration was finally rejected in January this year.

Officials said Demosisto's formation of a company was for unlawful purposes, because the party advocates self-determination for Hong Kong which they claimed breaches the Basic Law.

Wong said that was a political decision which was both illegal and unconstitutional.

"What we hope is to clarify the principle of registering as a limited company," he told reporters on Tuesday.

"Hong Kong people deserve freedom of speech and deserve the right to express different political stances or opinions," asking why merely advocating self-determination should disqualify Demosisto from registering as a company.

Last year, Demosisto's Nathan Law was stripped of his Legco seat over the oath-taking saga. Party colleague Agnes Chow was barred from entering a by-election in March to find Law's replacement in the council.