Critics are urging Australian judges serving on Hong Kong's highest court to resign. Fellow foreign justices have stepped down, some in response to the enactment of national security laws, which aims to stifle dissent and democratic freedoms.
Critics are urging Australian judges serving on Hong Kong's highest court to resign. Fellow foreign justices have stepped down, some in response to the enactment of national security laws, which aims to stifle dissent and democratic freedoms. The involvement of foreign judges on Hong Kong's Court of Final Appeal has a long history. Hong Kong was aiming to maintain its common law system after it was handed back by the British to China in 1997.
That bill was withdrawn, but a Beijing-imposed national security law was enacted to crack down on all forms of dissent, forcing Ted Hui to flee to Australia, while on bail for protest-related criminal charges. According to the Judiciary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, overseas non-permanent judges have made significant contributions to the development of Hong Kong's judicial system; being "...top common law experts specialising in different legal fields. They have rich judicial experience and are known for their noble, professional status and reputation."
"Hong Kong, once a vibrant and politically diverse community, is slowly becoming a totalitarian state. The rule of law is profoundly compromised in any area about which the government feels strongly." This is Caoilfhionn Gallagher, a barrister at Doughty Street Chambers who leads Jimmy Lai's international legal team.
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