Twelve Pro-democracy Figures Barred From Legco Poll

A number of prominent pro-democracy figures said on Thursday that they have received letters from electoral officers saying their Legco nominations have been invalidated.

The disqualified people include former Demosisto leader Joshua Wong, the Civic Party's Dennis Kwok, Kwok Ka-ki and Alvin Yeung, and Tsuen Wan district councillor Lester Shum.

They broke the news at about the same time at around 4pm on Thursday, some posting the letters from the Returning Officers, others informing journalists of the disqualification via messaging apps.

Other disqualified people are the Civic Party’s Tat Cheng, localist Ventus Lau, a member of the now-disbanded Demosisto Party, Tiffany Yuen, Professional Commons' Kenneth Leung, Civic Passion’s Cheng Kam-mun, former journalist Gwyneth Ho and district councillor Fergus Leung.

Shortly after news of the disqualification surfaced, the government issued a statement revealing altogether 12 people have been disqualified, but it did not give their names.

The statement said it “agrees with and supports” the decision of the electoral officers, adding it notes nominees must comply with requirements to sign a form to declare they uphold the Basic Law and pledge allegiance to the SAR.

The government said the electoral officers were correct in referring to a court ruling, which stated that the nominee must have the intention to not just comply with the Basic Law, but to “support, promote, and embrace it”.

It said that, by this definition, people who oppose the enactment of the national security law, advocate Hong Kong independence or self-determination, solicit foreign governments’ intervention into Hong Kong's affairs, as well as those who threaten to use their vetoing power to pressure the government “to accede to certain political demands” are all unfit to become legislators.

“There is no question of any political censorship, restriction of the freedom of speech or deprivation of the right to stand for elections,” the statement said.

The Beijing liaison office also welcomed the move, saying the political views of the disqualified had "crossed the legal bottom line".

"How could Hong Kong's legislative body... allow these unscrupulous delinquents seeking to destroy 'One Country, Two Systems' and Hong Kong's prosperity into its chamber," it said in a statement. (Additional reporting by AFP)

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