Juries can prevent miscarriages of justice
I do not think we should be too concerned about the new laws to be enacted under Article 23 of the Basic Law.
We should not forget that in addition to having an independent Judiciary in Hong Kong, we have a jury system.
This system will prevent the proposed Article 23 laws from being enforced in a draconian manner. A jury is entitled to give a not-guilty verdict even if it believes that the accused has committed an offence under Article 23.
If, for example, a reporter is indicted under Article 23 simply because he has uncovered wrongdoing by the government, I do not think any jury in the SAR would return a guilty verdict even if, according to the letter of the law, he is guilty.
I would suggest that no person should be convicted of any Article 23 offence except by a jury.
The jury system is one of the best safeguards protecting human rights left to us by the British. As long as we have that, I am not worried.
HERBERT C. O. KWOK
Shau Kei Wan
