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Ethnic minorities in Hong Kong
Hong KongLaw and Crime

Bar association condemns insults directed at non-Chinese judge in Hong Kong who jailed senior policeman

Group urges authorities to take swift action at insults directed at Indian born principal magistrate

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Retired police superintendent Frankly Chu arriving at Eastern Court in Sai Wan Ho last week. Photo: Winson Wong
Christy Leung

The Hong Kong Bar Association slammed recent personal attacks on the non-Chinese ethnicity of a magistrate who jailed a retired senior police officer for three months for attacking a bystander at a 2014 protest, urging authorities to take swift action.

Releasing a statement on Saturday, the association said it had documented insulting, racist or xenophobic words and actions directed at Indian-born principal magistrate Bina Chainrai.

It warned that such personal attacks against the courts or judicial officers could undermine respect for the courts, due process and the course of justice.

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Chu’s supporters demonstrating outside court last month. Photo: Winson Wong
Chu’s supporters demonstrating outside court last month. Photo: Winson Wong

“There are reports of personal and insulting attacks, and worse still with racial overtones made against the magistrate concerned,” the statement read, referring to Chainrai.

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“Such conduct may even constitute contempt of court. The Hong Kong Bar Association strongly condemns such conduct, and invites the relevant authorities to take swift action to deal with such serious and offensive conduct.”

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