Hong Kong’s disqualified localist pair vow to appeal and seek injunction to stop their Legco seats being declared vacant
Sixtus Baggio Leung Chung-hang and Yau Wai-ching say court battle could cost them up to HK$5 million but would be worth it to “defend Hong Kong’s civilised systems”
The two elected localists disqualified by a Hong Kong court over the way they took their oaths of office last month have vowed to appeal against the decision and seek an injunction to stop the government declaring their seats empty.
The pro-independence pair, Sixtus Baggio Leung Chung-hang and Yau Wai-ching, from the group Youngspiration, said the legal battle could cost them up to HK$5 million, but they would try to raise the money through crowd-funding among supporters. They said their efforts would be worth it as they were “defending Hong Kong’s civilised systems”.
According to the High Court ruling handed down on Tuesday, Leung and Yau’s directly-elected seats in the Legislative Council were effectively vacated on October 12 when the pair swore allegiance to the “Hong Kong nation” instead of to Hong Kong as part of China.
Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying said the government was studying the judgment before deciding on follow-up action, which would depend on whether Baggio Leung and Yau appealed.
“We are studying what follow-up action to take. Everything needs to be done in accordance with the law, including whether the two of them, or even other people, have satisfied the swearing-in requirements under Basic Law Article 104,” the chief executive said.