THREE families hoping to be allowed to remain in Hongkong after claiming they were left stateless had judgement of their case reserved by the Court of Appeal yesterday. The families said they had renounced their Chinese citizenship and became stateless when Lesotho cancelled their passports. Mr Gerard McCoy, for one family, told the court that if the Director of Immigration had to consider their case again they would have a strong case under the Bill of Rights. The bill did not apply when the director first considered the matter. Mr McCoy said that under Article Nine a person lawfully in Hongkong but without right of abode was allowed to give reasons why he should not be expelled. He was also entitled to have his case reviewed by the relevant authority. Mr McCoy, for Ms Pan Zeyan and her son, said the director would also have to consider the convention relating to the status of stateless people.
