Activist detained in Hong Kong partially won appeal over recognition of overseas same-sex marriage

By KANIS LEUNG
Associated Press

HONG KONG (AP) — An activist detained in Hong Kong has partially won his appeal seeking recognition for same-sex marriage registered overseas. It’s a landmark court ruling that is likely to have a far-reaching impact on the city’s LGBTQ+ community. Jimmy Sham is a prominent pro-democracy activist arrested in connection with 2019 anti-government protests. He first asked for a judicial review in 2018 arguing that Hong Kong’s laws, which don’t recognize foreign same-sex marriage, violate the constitutional right to equality. But the lower courts dismissed his challenges. The top court declared Tuesday that the government is in violation of its obligation to establish an alternative framework for legal recognition of same-sex partnerships. But it rejected his appeal on other grounds.