Court extends anti-mask law suspension, say pan-dems

Last Friday, the High Court rejected government requests to suspend its ruling, agreeing only on a seven-day "interim suspension". Photo: RTHK

The pan-democrats on Wednesday said the Court of Appeal had extended an interim suspension of a ruling that declared the government's anti-mask law unconstitutional until December 10.



They say it's regrettable that the judges didn't give them the chance to argue against the extension.



Last Friday, the lower court gave the government a week to appeal, but refused to suspend its ruling or allow the police to continue enforcing the ban until the appeals process was complete.



The law was introduced by the government under emergency powers in October to help police tackle the anti-government protests.



On November 18, the High Court ruled it incompatible with the Basic Law following judicial reviews brought by 24 pro-democracy lawmakers and former legislator Leung Kwok-hung.



Last Friday, the High Court rejected government requests to suspend its ruling, agreeing only on a seven-day "interim suspension" which gave the administration some time to ask the Court of Appeal to come to a different decision.



On November 25, the government filed an appeal.