Veteran Hong Kong democracy activist cleared of misconduct

HONG KONG (AFP) – A prodemocracy Hong Kong lawmaker who was recently removed from parliament after a Beijing intervention was cleared Monday of misconduct in a case he described as politically motivated.

Leung Kwok-hung – known locally as ''Long Hair'' – is a veteran activist from the League of Social Democrats, and had been charged by the city's corruption bureau over a payment received while in public office from a high-profile anti-Beijing media tycoon.

He was accused of ''willfully and intentionally'' failing to declare HK$250,000 ($32,000) from the founder of Apple Daily newspaper Jimmy Lai between 2012 and 2016. The paper is highly critical of Beijing.