Occupy Central founder Benny Tai banned from supervising researchers for three years following HKU donation scandal
Occupy Central founder and colleagues face repercussions - but not the loss of their jobs - for accepting and using donations outside the rules
Occupy Central founder Benny Tai Yiu-ting is facing a three-year ban on assuming managerial posts, receiving donations and supervising researchers at the University of Hong Kong, where he works, as penalties for handling Occupy-related donations without following the rules.
The punishment, proposed by the HKU senior management, is seen by his allies as retaliation against the academic-turned-political activist. But others see it as a way for him to avoid the risk of dismissal, which some Beijing loyalists had wanted.
The HKU governing council adopted the penalties for Tai and two other scholars in a closed-door meeting on Tuesday night.
Tai, an associate law professor, said yesterday: "I need to see the actual decisions before giving any response, as it needs to be very accurate."
Sources said HKU Public Opinion Programme director Dr Robert Chung Ting-yiu was banned from receiving donations for a shorter duration. He conducted a citywide referendum for Occupy at the request of an anonymous donor.
School of Humanities professor Daniel Chua, who agreed to send a redundant research assistant from his school to work for the referendum project, faces the same three penalties as Tai but for shorter spans.