Hong Kong govt ousts 7 pro-democracy district councillors over 'invalid' loyalty oath

Hong Kong, September 18 (ANI): Hong Kong government has ousted seven pro-democracy district councillors over the issue of "invalid" oath to bear allegiance to the city.
The government announced on Wednesday evening that seven of the 24 district council members who pledged allegiance last Friday had made "invalid oaths," Hong Kong Free Press reported.
They included Clarisse Yeung and Pakkin Leung of the Wan Chai District Council and Michael Pang of the Southern District Council.
Oaths taken by Eastern District Council's Wei Siu-like, So Yat-hang, Lancelot Chan and Anna Lai were also said to be illegitimate.
They were among a group of 24 district council members who became the first to swear allegiance under the administration of Secretary for Home Affairs Caspar Tsui.
Caspar had said he "had doubts" over the validity of some pledges and requested additional information from seven councillors.
Pakkin Leung of the Wan Chai District Council criticised the disqualification as "arbitrary." He said he had answered questions from the government, but the authorities gave no explanation as to why his oath was invalid.
While the pro-democracy camp took control of all but one of the city's 18 councils in November 2019, more than 260 district councilors have resigned amid an ongoing crackdown on public dissent and mandatory oath-taking since the national security law took effect.
As China has strengthened control over Hong Kong through varieties of laws including the draconian National Security Law, the people of the semi-autonomous city are facing increasing policing and crackdown.
Most of Hong Kong's opposition lawmakers are either in jail or have fled overseas since the national security law crackdown began. (ANI)