Hong Kong justice minister Paul Lam defends impartiality of courts in national security cases and warns of continued threats to judicial independence from overseas
- Lam tells legal profession at start of their year that system is ‘duty-bound’ to make sure defendants in national security cases ‘will receive a fair trial’
- He adds best way to deal with ‘improper interference is to stay calm and composed, carrying on with our respective duties’
Hong Kong’s justice minister has defended the impartiality of courts hearing national security cases and said threats to the independence of the judiciary from other countries were expected to continue.
Secretary for Justice Paul Lam Ting-kwok on Monday condemned a “Western country” for its proposal last year to enact sanctions on dozens of members of the city’s legal profession.
Speaking at a ceremony to launch the new legal year, the minister called the move an attempt to deter judges and lawyers from handling national security cases or influence their decisions.
“Indeed, the best way to handle any such improper interference is to stay calm and composed, carrying on with our respective duties and, at the same time, to maintain and promote the transparency of the judicial process,” Lam said.
