Exclusive | National security law: oath-taking Hong Kong district councillors face disqualification if investigations uncover past misconduct, lack of patriotism

Authorities to look into politicians’ pasts to ensure they do not pose national security risk and are genuine when pledging allegiance to the city, sources say

Insider insists breaching the oath will not be a criminal matter, district councillors have right of reply to allegations

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An oath-taking ceremony of government officials last December. Photo: Handout

Published: 8:00am, 10 Feb 2021Updated: 9:43am, 10 Feb 2021

Hong Kong district councillors, who could soon be required to take oaths of allegiance, face disqualification if they are found to be not patriotic enough or a threat to national security following official probes into their past conduct, the Post has learned.

But sources said any breach of the oath would carry no criminal consequences, while an “internal mechanism” was planned to allow district councillors to defend themselves against allegations before any potential unseating.

The administration is expected after the Lunar New Year holiday to introduce an amendment to the Oaths and Declarations Ordinance, bringing it in line with the national security law by extending oath-taking requirements to district councillors.

While Article 104 of the Basic Law, the city’s mini-constitution, currently requires only the chief executive, principal officials, executive councillors, lawmakers, judges and members of the judiciary to take the oath before assuming office, Article 6 of the national security law requires any resident “who stands for election or assumes public office” to do the same.

Top officials earlier confirmed all 479 district councillors – many of them opposition activists who were part of the landslide election victory scored in November 2019 at the height of the anti-government protests – would be among those public office holders having to pledge allegiance to the city.

Sources with direct knowledge of the amendment bill told the Post the changes would empower the city leader to designate commissioners – who could be principal officials from the Home Affairs Bureau – to administer an oath.

.css-sioo19{color:#c79a00;}Exclusive | National security law: oath-taking Hong Kong district councillors face disqualification if investigations uncover past misconduct, lack of patriotism

Exclusive | National security law: oath-taking Hong Kong district councillors face disqualification if investigations uncover past misconduct, lack of patriotism