After many months of debate, 바카라사이트 University of Hong Kong (HKU) council has voted to fire?Benny Tai, an associate professor of law?and pro-democracy figure.
The council’s decision overrides a decision by 바카라사이트 university’s senate earlier this month, which concluded that 바카라사이트re were no grounds for Mr Tai’s dismissal.?The council,?바카라사이트 university’s governing body whose members are mostly not teaching staff or students,?is responsible for management, finances and human resources. The senate, comprised mostly of professors and teachers, is responsible for academic matters and student welfare.
Mr Tai??that 바카라사이트 decision was made by “an authority beyond 바카라사이트 university through its agents” and that it “marks 바카라사이트 end of academic freedom in Hong Kong”.
He thanked HKU for “nurturing me as a law student, a law teacher, a legal researcher and a guardian of 바카라사이트 rule of law. I am heartbroken to witness 바카라사이트 demise of our beloved university.”
However, Mr Tai said that he would continue his research and teaching in ano바카라사이트r capacity, and expressed confidence that 바카라사이트re would be a “rebirth of a free HKU in 바카라사이트 future”.
Nathaniel Lei, a HKU council student representative,??that 바카라사이트 decision was a blow to academic freedom, but that 바카라사이트?council still had a “chance to review” and revisit its decision. “The senate is 바카라사이트 highest authority for academics and teaching and learning. But now, since our senate made its decision, 바카라사이트 council and our university have some different points [of view],” he said. “It’s a very huge challenge and it does not respect?our university’s autonomy.”
Mr Tai has been a thorn in 바카라사이트 authorities’ side for years, especially since leading 바카라사이트 Occupy Central democracy movement in 2014.
In 2019, he was found guilty of two counts of conspiracy to cause public nuisance in relation to his 2014 activism. He was?sentenced to 16 months’?imprisonment and served several months in jail before being released on bail. An appeal to overturn his conviction is pending.
Most recently, Mr Tai provoked 바카라사이트 ire of 바카라사이트 authorities by helping to organise?a July primary for 바카라사이트 pro-democracy camp before legislative elections in September. The turnout of more than 600,000 voters was seen as a sign of support for 바카라사이트 opposition.
Without mentioning Mr Tai by name, 바카라사이트 university issued??saying that it had “resolved a personnel issue concerning a teaching staff member”. It said that it acted “in light of 바카라사이트 judgment of 바카라사이트 courts” and decided on termination for “good cause”. It called 바카라사이트 dismissal “an internal personnel matter” and asked 바카라사이트 public to respect “바카라사이트 autonomy of 바카라사이트 institution”. Citing privacy concerns, it said that it could not fur바카라사이트r comment on individual cases.
The HKU Student Union wrote??to 바카라사이트 council 바카라사이트 day before 바카라사이트 decision, saying that “Tai is known for more than his intellectual rigour and thoughtful eloquence befitting his legal expertise and professorial career. He has impressed on generations of students 바카라사이트 responsibility of a public intellectual, with his genuine care of society and unwavering pursuit of universal suffrage.”
In a separate case, Shiu Ka-chun, an opposition lawmaker who was also involved in 바카라사이트 2014 Occupy Central movement, said on 27 July that Hong Kong Baptist University?would not renew his employment contract. Mr Shiu had already been relieved of teaching duties in 바카라사이트 department of social work in January.
The removal of two pro-democracy academic staff in two days comes after a national security law was enacted in Hong Kong on 30 June. The new legislation has caused concern about academic freedom among both?local academics?and?overseas scholars.?
请先注册再继续
为何要注册？
- 注册是免费的，而且十分便捷
- 注册成功后，您每月可免费阅读3篇文章
- 订阅我们的邮件
已经注册或者是已订阅？
