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Article 45 Concern GroupBasic Law Article 45 Concern Group (《基本法》四十五條關注組) is a pro-democracy political group in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) of the People's Republic of China. It was established on November 14 2003 by legal practitioners and legal academics. It currently has four seats in the Legislative Council of Hong Kong. The group originated from the "Basic Law Article 23 Concern Group", which was formed to criticise the HKSAR Government's legislative proposals to implement the controversial Article 23 of the Basic Law during the proposed legislations' consultation period in 2002-2003. Outspoken members of the group included the barristers Audrey Eu (余若薇), Alan Leong (梁家傑) and Ronny Tong (湯家驊), who were all former chairpersons of the Hong Kong Bar Association. With their professional and outspoken images established during the Article 23 controversies, they are especially popular among the middle class. After the HKSAR Government shelved the Article 23 proposals, the group renamed itself the Article 45 Concern Group, with the addition of a few members. Its focus changed to push for universal suffrage in 2007/08. The ultimate aim of universal suffrage for the Chief Executive and the Legislative Council is stipulated under Articles45 and 68 of the Basic Law of Hong Kong respectively. The group considered universal sufferage by 2007/8 as vital to the protection of human rights and the rule of law in Hong Kong, and aimed to promote debates on universal suffrage from a legal and constitutional point of view. In close collaboration with the democratic camp, several members of the group ran for the 2004 Legislative Council elections, and, riding on its popularity, was successful in gaining four seats in the Council (up from two before the elections). The group remained vocal in criticizing the Chinese and HKSAR Governments for their stance regarding a number of politicial issues, including the decision of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress of the People's Republic of China not to allow universal suffrage in 2007/08. In line with the pan-democratic camp, it supported gathering "the public's" view on the issue of universal suffrage by means of a referendum in 2004. Founding members include - Johannes Chan, barrister, Dean of the Faculty of Law, the University of Hong Kong, Hon SC
- Denis Chang, barrister
- Eric Cheung Tat-ming, solicitor; Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Law, the University of Hong Kong
- Mark Daly, solicitor
- Michael Davis, Attorney of the United States and professor of law at the Chinese University of Hong Kong
- Audrey Eu, legislator, barrister and former Chairman of Hong Kong Bar Association (1997-1999)
- Alan Leong, legislator, barrister and former Chairman of Hong Kong Bar Association (2001-2003)
- Gladys Li, barrister, chairlady of International Commission of Jurists (Hong Kong section)
- Christine Loh, former legislator, has a law degree, runs the private think tank Civic Exchange
- Margaret Ng, legislator representing the legal sector and barrister
- Ronny Tong, legislator, barrister and former Chairman of Hong Kong Bar Association (1999-2001)
See also: Politics of Hong Kong, List of political parties in Hong Kong External link
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