Junius Ho cries 'suppression' after UK honorary degree revoked

Pro-Beijing lawmaker Junius Ho Kwan-yiu said he was a victim of political suppression after his alma mater in the United Kingdom revoked his honorary doctorate in law.

The lawyer wrote in a social media post on Tuesday that he believed the Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) had been under pressure from a member of the House of Lords, David Alton, before it stripped him of the honorary degree it had awarded him, the Hong Kong Economic Journal reports.

Ho said the university gave him no chance to respond to Alton's claims against him, “contrary to procedural justice”, adding that he reserves his legal rights over the matter.

He stressed that the whole thing was political suppression, and the university, by succumbing to Alton's pressure, has lost its academic autonomy and freedom.

In a letter to the university last week, Alton, of Liverpool, questioned ARU's decision to honor Ho, whom he accused of extremism.

Alton cited Ho's use of inflammatory language and allegations that he congratulated members of a mob involved in "outrageous violence".

Ho had been seen in a video shaking hands with white-clad men, who had been linked to indiscriminate attacks on protesters and ordinary commuters in Yuen Long on July 31.

Ho, former president of the Law Society of Hong Kong, obtained a bachelor’s degree in law from the university in 1984 when it was known as Chelmer Institute of Higher Education and was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws in 2011 for his legal work and efforts as an ambassador for his alma mater.

In a statement on Monday, the university said “ARU’s honorands must be positive role models to our students, alumni and staff, and to the communities we serve”.

“Mr. Ho’s conduct since he was honored has caused increasing concern,” said the statement published by The Spectator magazine. “Following an investigation, the university has withdrawn Mr. Ho’s honorary degree.”

The university did not specify in the statement what conduct it was referring to.

Ho was removed from the list of honorary graduates on the university’s website in the early hours of Tuesday, RTHK reported.

Ho told Global Times in an interview that he doesn’t know Alton and he regrets that Alton twisted his words simply based on hearsay.

In related news, another suspected arson hit Ho’s local office at Melody Garden in Tuen Mun on Tuesday morning.

Police have listed the case as arson. No arrests have been made so far.

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TL/JC/CG