The Chief Justice of the Court of Final Appeal, Geoffrey Ma Tao-li, said in a statement today since taking office in 2010, he has not at any stage encountered or experienced any form of interference by the mainland authorities with judicial independence in Hong Kong, including the appointment of judges. Judicial independence is guaranteed under the Basic Law and is a main component of the rule of law in Hong Kong, Ma added. Beijing’s effort to hobble the judiciary is multi-pronged, according to more than two dozen interviews with judges, leading lawyers and diplomats in Hong Kong. The state-controlled press on the mainland has warned Hong Kong judges not to "absolve" protesters arrested during last year’s demonstrations. Judges and lawyers said there are signs Beijing is trying to limit the authority of Hong Kong courts to rule on core constitutional matters.

Source: The Standard April 15, 2020 12:33 UTC