Call by US lawmakers for sanctions against Hong Kong judges and prosecutors handling national security law dismissed by judiciary as ‘absolutely unacceptable’
- 7 Republican congressmen urge US President Biden to impose sanctions on judges and prosecutors as part of ‘more rigorous and lasting measures’
- Judiciary spokesman says the suggestion amounts to a ‘direct infringement’ on Hong Kong’s rule of law
The judiciary has labelled a call by a group of US lawmakers for sanctions against Hong Kong’s judges and prosecutors handling national security cases as “absolutely unacceptable”, saying it is a “direct infringement” on the city’s rule of law and judicial independence.
Echoing similar sentiments, the Bar Association, Hong Kong’s professional body for barristers, condemned the US suggestion in its “strongest terms”, saying local judges should be allowed to exercise their adjudicating power independently much like everywhere else.
Seven Republican congressmen wrote to United States President Joe Biden, urging his administration to impose sanctions as part of “more rigorous and lasting measures” to stop what they called Beijing’s crackdown on freedoms and liberties in the city.
In the letter dated May 3, the group said the national security law gave Beijing “seemingly endless and arbitrary power to prosecute, arrest and jail Hongkongers who stand up for democracy and human rights”.
“We believe that more comprehensive and targeted sanctions are needed to stop Hong Kong’s decline and protect US interests,” they wrote.
They also called for sanctions on the members of the Committee for Safeguarding National Security chaired by the chief executive.