Hong Kong justice minister slams sanctions threat, accusations against judges

Hong Kong’s justice minister has refuted “unfounded” accusations against the judiciary regarding several highly charged national security cases, stating that none of the judges had failed to fulfil their duties and that their independence remains strong.

In his address at a ceremony on Monday to mark the start of the legal year, Secretary for Justice Paul Lam Ting-kwok also slammed the threat of sanctions against the city’s judges and “illegitimate pressures” placed on overseas judges to resign.

At a press conference following the ceremony, Chief Justice Andrew Cheung Kui-nung also said geopolitical tensions remained a hurdle in recruiting overseas non-permanent judges to sit on the Court of Final Appeal (CFA), as pressure in their home countries often dissuaded them.

Lam reviewed the judges’ performance in the national security cases over the past year and stressed that they had treated defendants fairly, without preventing them from giving evidence, making submissions or cross-examining witnesses, unless there was a good and sufficient legal reason.

“Some might opine that the proceedings have taken a long time. I would say the time was well spent and necessary to ensure that there was a fair trial to all parties concerned,” he said.

He also noted that the judgments were comprehensive and supported by abundant evidence.