Event Summary
On 13 February 2026, the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) expelled Miles Kwan: a 24-year-old politics student who was arrested on 29 November 2025 by national security police for “seditious intent” after organizing a petition calling for Wang Fuk Court fire accountability. The CUHK student discipline committee decided to terminate him from studies due to “multiple acts of misconduct”: specifically receiving three demerits for calling committee “kangaroo panel” and “disgrace,” and being charged with “criminal damage” in 2023 after placing Tiananmen anniversary stickers on lamp-posts in 2022. The committee letter from chairman Jimmy Lee stated Kwan “more likely than not” breached confidentiality rules by revealing online confidential notification about a 5 December 2025 meeting relating to his arrest, imposing one demerit and damaging university reputation. The letter criticized Kwan’s “impolite and disrespectful attitude” at meeting, imposing another demerit, noting “despite being given multiple opportunities to reflect and amend your conduct, you did not demonstrate any improvement and showed little remorse.” The committee unanimously agreed immediate termination from studies.
Kwan had completed his studies and was to graduate March 2026 after six years. CUHK’s 1 December 2025 email stated that “no penalty will be imposed as a direct consequence of your arrest,” but expulsion followed disciplinary hearing. Kwan stated “it is shameful of CUHK to use graduation certificates to suppress its former students. You can take away qualifications, but you can’t take away dignity.” His petition after the November 2025 fire killing 168 people called for government accountability, independent investigation, proper resettlement, and construction oversight review: demands Chief Executive John Lee promised days later. CUHK stated that the termination is “severest penalty for repeated or serious offences,” with students receiving three demerits terminated from studies.