HK Court rejects bid to reinstate mask ban during appeal

The government failed to convince the Court of Appeal of the need to reinstate the ban against protesters wearing masks before hearings on the case proceed next month, Justices Jeremy Poon and Johnson Lam wrote in a decision handed down Tuesday . The judges said that the ruling shouldn’t be seen as indicating the result of the appeal, which will be heard Jan 9-10.

The decision represents another setback for Chief Executive Carrie Lam, who instituted the unprecedented mask ban in October by invoking a colonial-era emergency law for the first time in more than a half century. A lower court voided the mask measure on Nov 18, saying it"exceeds what is reasonably necessary to achieve the aim of law enforcement, investigation and prosecution of violent protesters.

A Chinese parliamentary committee that oversees the laws of the former British colony denounced the earlier decision, saying it"seriously weakened” the power of Hong Kong’s chief executive to maintain law and order. Zang Tiewei, a spokesman for the legislative affairs commission of the National People’s Congress, said the parliament was the only body with the authority to interpret Hong Kong law -- a claim disputed by the Hong Kong Bar Association.

The criticism raised the specter of Beijing’s direct intervention in a judicial system whose independence is often seen as a key competitive advantage of the global financial center. The sweeping Emergency Regulations Ordinance used to institute the mask ban has been seen as a key tool for Lam to manage the sometimes violent pro-democracy protests that have gripped the city for the past six months.

Police had arrested hundreds over alleged violations of the regulation, which called for jail sentences of up to one year for violators. Some protesters deliberately flouted the ban by wearing masks and costumes at rallies. - Bloomberg

Malaysia Latest News, Malaysia Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

Thousands rally in Hong Kong as government appeals for calm | Malay MailHONG KONG, Dec 8 — Thousands of black-clad protesters from all walks of life gathered in Hong Kong today under a crisp blue sky for a rally that is expected to gauge support for democracy in the financial hub which has been roiled by protests for six months. Anti-government activists, young and...
Source: malaymail - 🏆 1. / 86 Read more »

Hong Kong set for 'worst ever' wave of layoffs, store closuresHONG KONG (Bloomberg): More than 5,600 retail jobs could be lost and thousands of stores shut down over the next six months, as pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong continue to disrupt sales during the crucial festive period. let them make a career out of being a full-time rioter instead. they probably got paid more than their daily jobs
Source: staronline - 🏆 4. / 75 Read more »

Hong Kong cops defuse nail bombs left in school | The Malaysian InsightDiscovery comes with city engulfed by 6 months of sometimes violent protests.
Source: msianinsight - 🏆 8. / 63 Read more »

Polis Hong Kong matikan bom paku ditemui di kolejBom itu yang menggunakan bahan letupan berasaskan ammonium nitrat, turut ditambah paku bagi meningkatkan tahap kemusnahannya. FMTNews HongKong Bom
Source: fmtoday - 🏆 5. / 72 Read more »

Eye blinded covering Hong Kong protests, Indonesian reporter seeks justiceHONG KONG: Hit by a projectile fired by Hong Kong police while covering an anti-government protest nearly two months ago, Indonesian journalist Veby Mega Indah was blinded in one eye, but that has not blotted out the traumatic flashbacks filling her mind.
Source: NST_Online - 🏆 17. / 53 Read more »

Hong Kong cabinet reshuffle not an ‘immediate task’: Carrie LamHONG KONG: A reshuffle of Hong Kong’s cabinet is not an “immediate task”, the city’s Beijing-backed leader Carrie Lam said on Tuesday, as she prepared...
Source: theSundaily - 🏆 25. / 51 Read more »