Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam attempts to assuage concerns over controversial national security legislation
HONG KONG - Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said on Tuesday she will not select judges to preside over cases brought under the city’s new security law, an apparent attempt to assuage concerns about the controversial legislation.
“When one day there is national security cases, the responsibility to assign which judge on that list to handle a case still lies on the judiciary of Hong Kong,” Lam told reporters on Tuesday. “The Executive is not responsible for that.” China says the national security law, which is expected to be passed next week, will target only a small group of troublemakers as it tackles separatism, subversion, terrorism and foreign interference in Hong Kong.
Critics have also raised concerns that the law will exclude foreign judges, commonly used in Hong Kong, from presiding over national security cases. The fear is that could leave judges more favourable to Beijing to handle those cases.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Hong Kong lawyers alarmed at plans for city leader to pick judges in national security trialsSenior Hong Kong lawyers expressed alarm on Sunday at plans for the city's leader to select judges for national security cases, calling it the most serious challenge to the territory's vaunted judicial independence since the 1997 handover to Chinese rule.
Read more »
Factbox: Key details in draft of China's Hong Kong security lawChina on Saturday announced details of draft national security legislation for Hong Kong, which is expected to be finalised in coming weeks.
Read more »
In Hong Kong, Stock Speculation Can Take a Morbid TurnWhen a trusted leader passes away, that usually isn’t a good sign for shares in his or her company. In the strange parallel universe of Hong Kong’s sclerotic family-owned conglomerates, it just might be.
Read more »
China may enact Hong Kong security law by end of JuneChina released some details of the legislation late Saturday, heightening fears that the central government is tightening its grip on Hong Kong after months of anti-government protests last year.
Read more »
Hong Kong lawyers alarmed at plans for judges in national security trialsSenior Hong Kong lawyers expressed alarm on Sunday at plans for the city's leader to select judges for national security cases, calling it the most serious challenge to the territory's vaunted judicial independence since the 1997 handover to Chinese rule.
Read more »
China may enact Hong Kong security law at end of JuneChina’s top lawmaking body to meet at end of June, could take up a national security law for Hong Kong that has has stirred debate and fears that Beijing will tighten its grip on the semi-autonomous territory.
Read more »