Hong Kong’s High Court upholds trio’s convictions over 2016 protest against Beijing decision to interpret Basic Law in oath-taking case
- The three activists had been among a group of eight found guilty of various public order offences, including obstructing police and unlawful assembly
- Justice Alex Lee rejected the argument that their actions constituted a legal ‘spontaneous demonstration’
The High Court on Thursday dismissed the appeal lodged by Avery Ng Man-yuen, 43, of the League of Social Democrats, against two counts of inciting others to take part in an unlawful assembly outside the central government’s liaison office on November 6, 2016.
The court also rejected similar applications by co-defendants Dickson Chau Ka-faat, 28, and Cheng Pui-lun, 25, who were convicted of obstructing police officers and taking part in an unlawful assembly, respectively.
The trio was among a group of eight activists found guilty of 10 public order offences for protesting outside the liaison office in Sai Wan after Beijing said it would step in and interpret the Basic Law as it related to the improper oath-taking of two localist lawmakers.
A day after the protest, China’s top legislative body delivered its interpretation, ruling that public officials must take their oaths “sincerely” and “solemnly” or face disqualification. Six opposition legislators were eventually ousted from the Legislative Council.