The South China Morning Post reports:
A Hong Kong court on Friday turned down the city’s first judicial challenge for same-sex marriage and civil union partnerships, but urged the government to “undertake a comprehensive review” to save time and money from court actions arising from discrimination.
Court of First Instance judge Mr Justice Anderson Chow ruled against a lesbian woman known as MK who complained that the government’s failure to provide the options of marriage or civil union partnerships had violated her constitutional rights.
The judge said the existing laws did not cover same-sex marriage, adding it would be “beyond the proper scope of the functions and powers of the court to change a social policy on a fundamental issue”
Hong Kong court turns down city’s first judicial challenge for same-sex marriage in a blow to LGBT groups’ fight for equality https://t.co/kB7xqzhuFe
— SCMP News (@SCMPNews) October 18, 2019
The court says Hong Kong does not recognise same-sex marriage, except for purposes such as taxation, civil servants’ benefits, or application of dependent visas. A blow to the city’s fight for #LGBTI rights and #equalityhttps://t.co/Wk40Bhnx2Y
— Suki Chung (@Sukichungml) October 18, 2019
Today’s judgement by the Hong Kong High Court is a serious setback for marriage equality: https://t.co/GJsUWRhTbc
— amnestypress (@amnestypress) October 18, 2019
The High Court has dismissed an application from a #HongKong woman, known only as MK, who sought the court to grant same-sex marriage through a legal challenge. She’s ordered to pay the costs of the Govt pic.twitter.com/g51hXSFtHA
— Damon Pang (@damon_pang) October 18, 2019