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Legco oath-taking saga
Hong KongPolitics

Hong Kong government given green light for judicial reviews over lawmakers’ oaths

Four lawmakers now prepare for court battle after legal challenge is approved

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Lawmakers Claudia Mo Man-ching (left), Edward Yiu Chung-yim, Nathan Law Kwun-chung, Lau Siu-lai, Leung Kwok-hung and James To Kun-sun protest against Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying earlier this month. Photo: Nora Tam
Joyce Ng
The High Court has granted a government application for judicial reviews against four pro-democracy ­lawmakers for their suspected improper oath-taking – a move that seeks to disqualify them from the ­Legislative Council.

A court letter received yesterday by Ivan Mok Ka-kit, a student who filed a related lawsuit against one of the lawmakers, said leave had been granted for the reviews, and a procedural hearing for all parties would be held a week today.

Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying and Secretary for Justice Rimsky Yuen Kwok-keung filed the lawsuit 10 minutes before court closed on Friday.

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In the writs, the government ­accused the four of setting aside solemnity in exchange for a political showdown by slipping pro-democracy messages into their oaths.

The four are veteran activist “Long Hair” Leung Kwok-hung, former Occupy Central student leader Nathan Law Kwun-chung, lecturer Lau Siu-lai and university professor ­Edward Yiu Chung-yim.

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Last month, a semi-official Beijing think tank claimed that up to 15 lawmakers had recited improper oaths.

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