Setback For Leung Kwok-hung In Paper-snatching Case

The paper-snatching case against former lawmaker Leung Kwok-hung is to go ahead after he lost in his bid to halt the prosecution against him.

The Court of Appeal on Monday ruled against his bid to take the matter to Hong Kong's top court. Mr Leung's lawyers had sought to stop the prosecution, saying legislators enjoy "absolute" freedom of speech during official meetings. But the court has ruled that this doesn't cover criminal acts.

In its ruling, the Court of Appeal said Legco has the power to punish lawmakers found guilty of contempt.

Leung was charged with contempt after he snatched a stack of documents from the then undersecretary for development Eric Ma during a Legco meeting in November 2016.

A West Kowloon magistrate in 2018 said the case should not proceed because lawmakers enjoy absolute freedom of speech in Legco meetings.

But the Department of Justice successfully appealed against the verdict. The Court of Appeal then took up the case, blocking Leung's bid to take it to the Court of Final Appeal.