Leader of outlawed Hong Kong National Party refuses to answer panel’s questions after it refused to switch date of meeting so his lawyers could be present
- Andy Chan says stance was form of protest after ruling left him without representation
- Meeting scheduled to last whole day wraps up after just 1½ hours
The leader of the outlawed pro-independence Hong Kong National Party refused to take any questions during his appeal against its ban on Monday, in protest against the rejection of his lawyers’ request to postpone the hearing, the Post has learned.
Andy Chan Ho-tin appeared before a three-member panel of the Executive Council without barrister Gladys Li and lawyer Mark Daly, who had prior engagements.
The review hearing was arranged after Chan decided to appeal against the Secretary for Security John Lee Ka-chiu’s decision to ban the party on September 24, on the grounds it posed a credible threat to national security and public order in the city.
The Executive Council set up a panel to hear the case, which comprised of barrister and lawmaker Martin Liao Cheung-kong, former stock exchange chairman Chow Chung-kong, and former Monetary Authority chief Joseph Yam Chi-kwong. None of the three would respond to questions after the hearing.
In late December, Chan’s legal team applied to postpone the hearing because of a scheduling conflict and because they wanted more time to prepare, while Chan also applied for an open hearing.