Joshua Wong, Pro-Democracy Activist, Barred From Hong Kong Council Election

Hong Kong authorities have disqualified Joshua Wong, a prominent pro-democracy activist, from running in upcoming local council elections next month. The government cited Wong’s previous claims that the future of Hong Kong should be determined by its people as a reason for the disqualification. An official told The New York Times that his statements were incompatible with the Basic Law, Hong Kong’s constitution, which states that the semiautonomous city is part of mainland China. “The candidate cannot possibly comply with the requirements of the relevant electoral laws, since advocating or promoting ‘self-determination’ is contrary to the content of the declaration that the law requires a candidate to make to uphold the Basic Law and pledge allegiance” to Hong Kong, the government said in a statement. Wong, who became the face of 2014’s Umbrella Movement protests, said in a statement that the decision showed that China’s central government was manipulating the election. “I strongly condemn the government for its political screening and censorship, and for depriving me of my right to stand for election,” he said.