The University of Hong Kong has fired a pro-democracy law professor who was convicted last year of “public nuisance” charges for his leading role in the 2014 Umbrella Movement protests.
Professor Benny Tai, a key figure in Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement, is being fired from the University of Hong Kong after a vote by the school’s governing body on Tuesday, according to a report by the New York Times.
Last year, Tai was sentenced to 16 months in prison after being convicted of public nuisance charges. Tai is appealing his conviction.
“The university had faced widespread calls from members of the pro-Beijing establishment to dismiss Mr. Tai,” reported Times. “But his supporters argued that dismissing him would undermine academic freedom that has already been imperiled by a new national security law imposed by Beijing.”
The university said in a statement that it has “resolved a personnel issue concerning a teaching staff member,” following a “stringent and impartial due process.”
In a press release later on Tuesday, @HKUniversity said it had "resolved a personnel issue concerning a teaching staff member."
It said that the move was an "internal matter" and the university followed a "stringent and impartial due process." https://t.co/J9c9F2Q4x0 pic.twitter.com/wgGQPrLeJJ
— Hong Kong Free Press HKFP (@HongKongFP) July 28, 2020
In a statement on Facebook, Tai said that “the decision to terminate my appointment was made not by the University of Hong Kong but by an authority beyond the University through its agents.”
“It marks the end of academic freedom in Hong Kong,” he added.
辭退我的決定，並不是由香港大學，而是由大學以外的勢力透過它的代理人作出。這標誌香港學術自由的終結。香港學術機構的教研人員，再難自由地對公眾，就一些政治或社會爭議事情，發表具爭議的言論。香港的學術機構再不能保護其成員免受內部及外在的干預。…
Posted by Tai Yiu Ting, 戴耀廷 on Tuesday, July 28, 2020
“Academic staff in education institutions in Hong Kong are no longer free to make controversial statements to the general public about politically or socially controversial matters,” continued Tai. “Academic institutions in Hong Kong cannot protect their members from internal and outside interference.”
Meanwhile, Joseph Chan, a political-science professor at the university, claims that “the University of Hong Kong has sacrificed its reputation and it will not be able to hold its head high in the international academic community.”
“This day will become a major stain in the history of the University of Hong Kong that cannot be washed away,” he added.
You can follow Alana Mastrangelo on Twitter at @ARmastrangelo, on Parler at @alana, and on Instagram.
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