中國人大釋法 力阻港獨議員進立法會
Beijing has banned legislators who advocate Hong Kong independence from serving on the territory’s council, in a move that democracy activists and lawyers say is highly damaging to the rule of law in the financial centre.
北京方面已禁止鼓吹香港獨立的當選議員在香港立法會就職。民主活動人士和律師表示，此舉可能會對這個金融中心的法治造成嚴重破壞。
The decision on Monday by the National People’s Congress, China’s rubber-stamp parliament, came after a tense stand-off and occasional clashes in Hong Kong on Sunday night between police and hundreds of protesters.
該決定是中國的“橡皮圖章”國會——全國人大——的常委會在週一作出的。上週日晚，香港警方與數百名抗議者曾發生激烈對峙、爆發零星衝突。
Among the demonstrators were Baggio Leung and Yau Wai-Ching, the two Hong Kong legislators who sparked this latest crisis in Hong Kong’s relations with Beijing after they failed to take the standard oath of office and instead pledged allegiance to the “Hong Kong nation” last month.
導致香港與中央關係陷入最新這輪危機的香港當選議員樑頌恆（Baggio Leung，上圖左）和遊蕙禎（Yau Wai-Ching，上圖右）也參加了示威。上個月，樑遊二人未按照標準的誓言宣誓就職，而是發誓效忠“香港國”(Hong Kong nation)。
Mr Leung and Ms Yau were elected in September after record voter turnout in Hong Kong, buoyed by opposition to Beijing’s increasing interference in the semi-autonomous territory.
這二人是在今年9月當選爲立法會議員的。此前，北京方面對這塊半自治領土越來越多的干預引發的反對，令香港這次選舉的投票率創下了紀錄。
But the NPC ruled on Monday that “those who support Hong Kong independence do not qualify to run for and serve as members of the legislature” and should “be held legally responsible" for their actions.
不過，全國人大常委會週一裁定：“宣揚‘港獨’的人不僅沒有參選及擔任立法會議員的資格，而且應依法追究其法律責任。”
It added that those who failed to take the oath of office “solemnly” should not be allowed to take it again, according to Xinhua, the state news agency.
據官方通訊社新華社報道，全國人大常委會還表示，未“莊重”宣讀就職誓言的人不應被安排再次宣誓。
Li Fei, the deputy secretary-general of the NPC’s standing committee, also attacked Hong Kong’s legal system for failing to block the pro-independence lawmakers.
全國人大常委會副祕書長李飛還抨擊香港法律系統未能封殺支持港獨的議員。
“We can see from this incident that legal procedures are currently not strictly followed and we urge the Hong Kong judicial system to improve and perfect its current practices,” he said.
李飛表示從這起事件中可以看出香港目前並未嚴格遵循相應的法律程序，他敦促香港司法系統改進和完善現有的司法實踐。
The ruling, which is the fifth time Beijing has interpreted Hong Kong’s mini-constitution or Basic Law since the territory was handed back from British control in 1997, comes after the Hong Kong government launched a judicial review to prevent Mr Leung and Ms Yau from retaking their oath.
這次釋法是1997年香港主權移交以來北京方面第五次對《基本法》作出解釋。此前，香港政府曾發起司法覆核，欲阻止樑遊二人再次宣誓。
The Chinese government is vehemently opposed to separatism and has said it is determined to prevent supporters of Hong Kong independence from gaining a foothold in the legislature, claiming they represent a “grave threat to national sovereignty and security”.
中國政府堅決反對分裂，並表示決心阻止港獨支持者在香港立法會中獲得一席之地，稱這些人“對國家主權、安全造成了嚴重威脅”。
To tackle the issue, Beijing said last week it would issue an interpretation of article 104 of the Basic Law, which states that all senior officials and legislators in Hong Kong must “swear allegiance to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China”.
爲解決這一問題，北京方面上週表示會發布關於《基本法》第104條的法律解釋。該條款申明，香港所有高級官員和立法會議員必須“宣誓擁護中華人民共和國香港特別行政區基本法，效忠中華人民共和國香港特別行政區”。
Opposition politicians and legal experts have warned that the interpretation will further damage the rule of law in Hong Kong and undermine the “high degree of autonomy” promised to the former British colony in 1997.
反對派政治人士和法律專家警告稱，這一釋法會進一步破壞香港法治，削弱1997年向這個英國前殖民地承諾的“高度自治”。
“This is direct interference in the rule of law in Hong Kong,” said Kacey Wong, a visual artist and one of hundreds facing off against riot police near the Chinese government’s liaison office in Hong Kong on Sunday night. “We must fight this.”
“這是對香港法治的直接干涉，”視覺藝術家黃國才(Kacey Wong)說。黃國纔是上週日晚在中央人民政府駐香港特別行政區聯絡辦公室附近與防暴警察對峙的數百人中的一個，他表示：“我們必須與之鬥爭。”
Hong Kong’s Bar Association, which represents barristers, said last week that the interpretation by the NPC would cause “irreparable harm” to Hong Kong by undermining confidence in the territory’s legal independence and autonomy.
代表律師的香港大律師公會(Hong Kong Bar Association)上週表示，全國人大常委會此次如果釋法，會削弱人們對香港司法獨立和自治的信心，對香港造成不可挽回的傷害。
