BREAKING: Gov’t strips Hong Kong’s ‘Father of Democracy’ Martin Lee of Justice of the Peace title
Hong Kong Free Press
Founding member of the Democratic Party Martin Lee has been stripped of his title as Justice of the Peace.
Lee’s appointment was revoked by Chief Executive John Lee, according to a gazette notice issued on Friday afternoon. The notice did not provide a reason for the revocation.
Under Hong Kong law, justices of the peace are granted the ability to visit any custodial institution or detained person.
Often referred as “Father of Democracy,” Martin Lee was the most senior barrister in the city and became a prominent figure in Hong Kong’s movement for democracy after the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown. He was a founding member of the Democratic Party, which was established in 1994.
Lee, 86, was also a member of the city’s Legislative Council for more than two decades.
He was among seven democrats whose convictions over participating in an unauthorised rally in 2019 were upheld by the city’s Court of Final Appeal this August.
HKFP has reached out to the Chief Executive’s Office for comment.
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