Britain and Canada weigh in on Hong Kong activist Agnes Chow’s by-election disqualification as third candidate barred
Both countries cite freedoms and rights, while localist and district councillor James Chan is latest opposition candidate to be banned
Britain and Canada weighed in on the row over the disqualification of Hong Kong activist Agnes Chow Ting from the city’s coming legislative by-elections as officials banned a third opposition hopeful on Thursday.
A spokesman for the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office said: “We are concerned by the rejection of Agnes Chow’s nomination for the forthcoming Legislative Council by-election. The right to stand for election is a fundamental right enshrined in Article 26 of the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) and the Hong Kong Bill of Rights.
“Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy, and its rights and freedoms, are central to its way of life, and it is important that they should be fully respected.”
On its Facebook page, the Canadian consulate in Hong Kong said: “Canada is concerned that barring candidates from standing for election because of their political beliefs is inconsistent with democratic norms which have been widely considered part of Hong Kong’s system.