The Hong Kong Unbiased Fee Towards Corruption (ICAC) issued a warrant on Tuesday for Martin Oei, an abroad political commentator for allegedly inciting one other particular person to not vote within the District Council election.
The ICAC alleged that Oei incited one other particular person to not vote via his public social media posts throughout the election interval, in violation of part 27A(1) of the Election (Corrupt and Illegal Conduct) Ordinance. Oei is at the moment not in Hong Kong. After the issuance of a warrant, Oei revealed on his YouTube channel that he has no plans to return to Hong Kong.
Inciting somebody to not vote throughout the election interval is a felony offense enacted in 2021 following the amendment of the Legislative Council election mechanism that lowered the proportion of seats elected by geographical constituencies. Then Chief Government Carrie Lam said that criminalizing incitement to not vote throughout the election interval is a constitutional responsibility stemming from the modification, made by China’s Nationwide Folks’s Congress Standing Committee, of Hong Kong Fundamental Regulation Annex I and Annex II. The 2 annexes present for the election mechanism of the Chief Government and the Legislative Council.
Native media additionally reported that the Social Welfare Division will fund a minimum of 180 aged group facilities to help aged voters in touring to and from polling stations. The Residence and Youth Affairs Bureau Chief Alice Mak reaffirmed that there are complete election legal guidelines to stop corruption and that the measures will solely enable aged voters to commute and never implicate the equity of the election.
Source / Picture: jurist.org
