Re-elected head of Hong Kong Bar Association argues ban on overseas lawyers in national security trials not in line with ‘administration of justice and rule of law’
- Victor Dawes, re-elected as Bar Association chairman, says leadership wants to resume once-annual trips to Beijing for talks with officials
- Dawes argues not all national security court cases involve ‘confidential matters or state secrets’
A blanket ban on the involvement of overseas lawyers in national security trials in the city would not be “conducive to the administration of justice and rule of law”, the re-elected head of the Hong Kong Bar Association has said.
Victor Dawes on Thursday added the association leadership hoped to make a trip to Beijing this year in the wake of the recent reopening of the border.
Dawes spelled out the association’s stance on a total ban on foreign lawyers taking on national security cases after the commercial law expert was re-elected as chairman of the 1,500-member Bar Association at its annual general meeting.
He emphasised that the association had not seen any concrete proposals on national security court proceedings yet.
“The Bar Council has considered the general direction. We do not believe that there should be a complete ban on overseas counsel for all [national security] cases for either prosecuting or defending,” Dawes said. “Not all cases involve confidential matters or state secrets.”
Dawes appealed for “flexibility” to be preserved.