Explainer | How Hongkongers end up in the dock: everything you need to know about how the justice department decides who gets charged
- Recent arrests of more than 180 protesters – and people accused of attacking them – have placed focus on how suspects end up in court
- So who has the final say on prosecutions, and can they be politically influenced?
Since a series of extradition bill protests kicked off in June, police have arrested more than 180 protesters across Hong Kong. They have also arrested 12 people allegedly involved in violent attacks against protesters and other passengers at Yuen Long railway station on July 21.
Forty-four protesters arrested on Sunday in Sheung Wan – near Beijing’s liaison office in the city – became the first batch of demonstrators charged with rioting. All but one appeared in court on Wednesday.
While police and the justice department have moved expeditiously with the Sheung Wan protesters, no charge had been laid by Thursday night over the Yuen Long attacks.
The two cases’ speed disparity has prompted people to ask: what is the relationship between law enforcers and prosecutors, especially at a politically sensitive time?
Who makes the final call on whether to prosecute someone?