HK high court disqualifies 4 legislators over invalid oaths

The High Court of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) on Friday disqualified legislators Law Kwun-Chung, Leung Kwok-hung, Lau Siu-lai and Yiu Chung-yim from office for their invalid oaths.

Hong Kong lawmakers of the legislature council, from left, Nathan Law, Leung Kwok-hung and Lau Siu-lai and Edward Yiu, attend a news conference in Hong Kong, Friday, July 14, 2017. [Photo: AP/Kin Cheung]

The court ruled that the oaths the four took on Oct. 12, 2016 at a swearing-in ceremony of the new Legislative Council (LegCo) were unlawful and of no effect. 

The disqualification is effective from Oct. 12, 2016, according to the court.

On Oct. 12, 2016, Lau deliberately took her oath in a slow-paced manner, while Law, Leung and Yiu read out extra words that are not included in the LegCo oath according to the Oaths and Declarations Ordinance of Hong Kong, or read the oath in an abnormal tone.

Hong Kong High Court [Photo: sina.com]

The Department of Justice of Hong Kong SAR government submitted an application for a judicial review to the High Court on Dec. 2, 2016, requesting the court to rule whether the four LegCo members' oaths comply with the Hong Kong Basic Law and whether they are still qualified to serve.