Hundreds of academics protest Beijing's 'undemocratic' reform plan

Hundreds of academics from more than 20 tertiary institutions across the city have made a united stand against Beijing's "undemocratic" framework for universal suffrage in 2017.

In a joint statement signed by 520 scholars, researchers and administrators, they vowed to strive for true democracy and support student class boycotts, which could begin as early as next week.

The scholars lashed out at the national legislature's decision last month, which made it possible for an "undemocratically constituted nominating committee to manipulate and control who can become a candidate" for the chief executive.

"It is using eloquent sophistry, tantamount to calling a stag a steed … Our feelings on this are no less than extreme disappointment and indignation," the statement read.

Political scientist Dr Cheung Chor-yung of City University said the path for attaining genuine universal suffrage through dialogue had come to an end.

"I don't believe that in the second consultation period … there will not be anything left to discuss," he said. Cheung said the scholars would not go on strike but would support boycotting students.