Hong Kong lawmakers veto bill on same-sex partnerships

Hong Kong: Hong Kong's Legislative Council on Wednesday vetoed a bill that would have allowed limited legal rights for same-sex couples who had registered their marriage or relationship overseas, drawing criticism from gay rights groups.

The bill, introduced by the government, had proposed a registration system to grant same-sex couples who had already sealed their union overseas to certain rights such as hospital visitation.

The government made the proposal after a judgment by Hong Kong's highest court in September 2023 that partially approved a landmark legal push for full recognition of same-sex marriages.

Although the Court of Final Appeal didn't grant the constitutional right to same-sex marriage, the five judges ordered the government to develop a legal framework to meet basic social needs of same sex couples within two years.

The bill had faced strong opposition from some pro-Beijing legislators and religious groups who say gay marriage erodes family values, and have demanded a postponement.

This was the first time Hong Kong's legislature, after being revamped to only include pro-Beijing patriots in 2021, had vetoed a bill in the city's legislature in its current term of office, with 71 lawmakers voting against, and 14 for the bill.

"Today is a disappointing day for Hong Kong," advocacy group Hong Kong Marriage Equality said in a statement.

"(It) sends a troubling signal to both local and international communities — that court rulings may be disregarded and the dignity of individuals overlooked."

The city's leader John Lee said earlier that the government was legally bound to abide by the ruling, but also emphasized that "a lawful marriage in Hong Kong is between one man and one woman, and a monogamous and heterosexual marriage".

Amnesty International and 30 gay rights groups in Asia had earlier issued a joint letter urging the government to "fully comply" with the top court's ruling by "establishing a comprehensive legal framework that recognizes same-sex partnerships and allows all same-sex couples to enter into a local, legally registered partnership".

It's not clear how the government will now seek to comply with its constitutional obligation to establish a legal framework for recognising same-sex relationships, with some groups calling for the government to appeal for an extension of the deadline on October 27.

There was no immediate comment from the Hong Kong government to a Reuters request for comment.