Today, a magistrate ruled against a constitutional challenge raised by five Hong Kong citizens arrested for driving on the Uber platform. The development means the case against the men will now continue to trial; we remain committed to supporting them, and all the riders and driver-partners who rely on Uber in Hong Kong.

The five were arrested in August 2015. Ahead of their trial, they had argued the arrests represented a restriction of their constitutionally protected rights, specifically Article 33 of the Hong Kong Basic Law. The article states that ‘Hong Kong residents shall have freedom of choice of occupation.’ However, the Court of Appeal ruled earlier today, in a case that was unrelated to the drivers, that Article 33 should be interpreted in a narrow sense. The magistrate hearing the driver cases was bound to follow this precedent and therefore their challenge failed.

In more than 450 cities in 72 countries, people can now open the Uber app and take advantage of the flexible economic opportunities it creates. It’s a powerful new way to work.

In the US and across the world we are seeing increasing momentum behind regulated ridesharing. China, Australia, Malaysia, Singapore, and the Philippines are among countries that have publicly recognized the positive contribution of ridesharing to the economy and society, and have in place or are now developing regulatory frameworks that harness the benefits our technology can bring to riders, drivers, and cities.

Uber will continue to seek opportunities for dialogue with the Hong Kong Government and associated bodies, with the hope that we can identify an appropriate legal framework that best serves all people.

Our driver-partners are what make Uber special. Currently, there are more than 1.5 million around the world. These five driver-partners in Hong Kong have the right to be counted among them.