HKW Patron Lord Alton of Liverpool calls for a further review of the independence of the judiciary in Hong Kong

Hong Kong Watch Patron, Lord Alton of Liverpool, has written to the Secretary of State for Justice to call for a further review of the independence of the judiciary and the viability of current UK judges continuing to serve on the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal.

Raising the case of Sham Siu-man, a District Judge who has reportedly left Hong Kong following being targeted by pro-Beijing media outlet Wen Wei Po after he acquitted eight protestors involved in a protest in Wan Chai and another six protestors for rioting, Lord Alton of Liverpool urged the Secretary of State to review the question of sitting UK judges continuing to serve on the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal.

In his letter, Lord Alton argued that: “At a time when judges are forced to leave Hong Kong following pressure by Beijing and their mouthpieces in the media to convict protestors, civil society groups are being forced to close, and nearly all pro-democracy voices are in jail, exile, or awaiting trial, it cannot be right that UK judges continue to offer Hong Kong courts a veneer of legitimacy.”

香港監察贊助人利物浦的奧爾頓勳爵呼籲進一步檢討香港司法機關的獨立性

香港監察贊助人利物浦的奧爾頓勳爵致函司法大臣，呼籲進一步檢討司法機構的獨立性以及英國現任法官繼續在香港終審法院工作的可行性。

奧爾頓勳爵提及區域法院法官沈小民，在裁定八名參與灣仔示威活動的示威者和另外六名示威者暴動罪名不成立後，被親中媒體文匯報攻擊。利物浦的奧爾頓勳爵促請司法大臣審視關於英國法官繼續在香港終審法院工作的問題。

奧爾頓勳爵在信中指︰「法官在面對北京和他們的媒體喉舌指控示威者的壓力時被迫離開香港，公民社會組織被迫解散，幾乎所有支持民主的聲音都在監獄、流亡或等待審判，英國法官繼續為香港法院的合法性提供掩飾是不對的。」