Former Hong Kong pro-democracy lawmaker Au Nok-hin has said he will step down from his role as one of the coordinators of the democratic primaries, citing concerns over his personal safety after Beijing called the poll illegal.
Au’s announcement on Wednesday came after two of Beijing’s offices in Hong Kong blasted the primary election as a “serious provocation” to the current election system. They also said it was a “blatant challenge” to the Basic Law and the national security law, while urging local authorities to seriously investigate complaints and impose severe punishments if needed.
The primaries aim to narrow the list of democratic candidates to run in September’s Legislative Council election. Pan-democrats hope to win more than 35 seats to secure a majority in the legislature. Co-organising group Power for Democracy said more than 610,000 Hongkongers cast their votes over the weekend.
Au said on Facebook that although the democratic camp had maintained the poll was legal, the “ruling coalition” had taken another “unexpected” view. He said this had created risks to his personal safety and thus he had decided to withdraw from all duties related to the primaries.
“Withdrawal is the only choice that I can protect myself and others. It is a hard decision [made] with [an] apology. I hope everyone could understand my limitations,” he wrote.
The Hong Kong government has repeatedly said the city has no legal basis for primaries. Chief Executive Carrie Lam on Monday said the aim of the primary election to secure a majority in the legislature and oppose government policies could violate the offence of subversion under the national security law.
The Beijing-enacted law also criminalises secession, terrorism and foreign interference. Violators could face up to life imprisonment. The Electoral Affairs Commission previously cautioned against colluding with foreign forces to undermine a local election.
