National security law: Hong Kong to pass legislative amendment ‘in months’ to ban British lawyer from Jimmy Lai trial, after Beijing ruling
- Committee for Safeguarding National Security, chaired by city leader, expected to call meeting and lay down framework for amendment
- Country’s top legislative body had on Friday clarified two clauses of the Beijing-decreed legislation, stating the matter required chief executive’s input
Hong Kong authorities are aiming to pass a legislative amendment “in months” to prevent a British lawyer from defending media tycoon Jimmy Lai Chee-ying in his national security trial in September, the Post has learned.
The Post was on the same day told that Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu, who chairs the city’s Committee for Safeguarding National Security, would call a meeting in the near future during which the body was expected to lay down a framework to resolve the dispute by seeking amendments to the Legal Practitioners Ordinance.
Under the proposed legal changes, overseas counsel not qualified to practice in Hong Kong would no longer be entitled to apply for ad hoc admission to participate in cases involving national security.
“The government will not rush it through as it respects lawmakers’ input. It hopes to get the amendment bill passed in months,” the source said, adding the matter was set to be resolved by the time Lai’s case was heard in September.