Hong Kong withdraws bill that sparked protests

Hong Kong legislature on Wednesday officially withdrew the controversial extradition bill, which sparked months of protest.

Japan-based NHK World reported that Hong Kong's legislature has formally withdrawn the bill.

The legislative council completed the process on Wednesday afternoon, reported NHK World.

The withdrawal of the bill was supposed to take place last week but was delayed due to disruptions by pro-democracy lawmakers.

The unpopular extradition bill would have allowed the transfer of suspects to places with which Hong Kong did not have an extradition agreement including mainland China for trial.

Hong Kong, which returned to China in 1997 and enjoys a special administrative status, has seen a wave of demonstrations that were initially organised in protest against proposed amendments to the city's extradition law.

Thousand of people took part in these demonstrations.

Last month, Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam had announced that the bill would be formally withdrawn.

It was reported on October 16 that Carrie Lam had said that Hong Kong Police have detained more than 2,200 people in 400 anti-government protests that hit the city over the past four months.

"Hong Kong has seen more than 400 demonstrations and marches across the city over the past four months, which increasingly tend to grow into violent protests. This wave has resulted in over 1,100 people injured and more than 2,200 detained," the Hong Kong leader had said, according to Sputnik.