Hong Kong: One of Hong Kong’s best-known democracy activists was banned on Saturday from standing as lawmaker in upcoming elections, the latest blow to freedoms in the city as Beijing tightens its grip.
Agnes Chow, 21, (pictured), a former leader of the mass Umbrella Movement protests of 2014 that called for political reform, had her nomination rejected because she supports self-determination for the semi-autonomous city, the government said. It comes as fears grow that political debate is being shut down under pressure from an assertive Beijing, with the recent jailing of democracy activists fuelling concern.
The emergence of campaigners calling for independence for Hong Kong since the failure of the Umbrella Movement to win reform has incensed Beijing, and President Xi Jinping has made it clear that he will not tolerate any challenge to Chinese sovereignty.
The pro-Beijing Hong Kong government has previously barred independence activists from standing for office, but Chow’s ban is the first against a more moderate campaigner.
She had been hoping to stand in by-elections in March, which were triggered by the disqualification from the legislature of six lawmakers who protested while taking their oaths of office in 2016.
“Self-determination or changing the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region system by referendum which includes the choice of independence is inconsistent with the constitutional and legal status of HKSAR,” the government said. — AFP
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