A PLAN to extend legal aid to people detained on the mainland is being discussed between senior government officials and a rights group for detainees.
The informal talks have started after a proposal was tabled by the Association of Legal Relationship Between Hong Kong and the Mainland that floated the possibility of granting free legal representation to SAR people who believe their personal freedom has been infringed on the mainland.
Dr Priscilla Leung Mei-fun, a law professor and association member, said the free representation would be restricted to detainees who could not afford to hire a lawyer.
Sources say the move is being discussed at a high level.
The group is also pushing for the mainland's system of legal aid to be extended to cover SAR residents.
'We would like to see the legal aid system relaxed to cover SAR people who feel their personal freedom is being infringed while being held on the mainland,' said Dr Leung, associate law professor at City University.
Ong Yew-kim, Chinese University's researcher in Chinese law at the Hong Kong Institute of Asia Pacific Studies, supported the proposal.
