HONG KONG: Jailed Hong Kong rights lawyer and prominent Tiananmen massacre vigil organiser, Chow Hang-tung, has sharply criticised the city’s highest-ranking judges, accusing them of complicity in what she described as a “police state” under the current government, as reported by Radio Free Asia ( RFA ).
Chow criticized the court for allowing government abuses in an appeal to the Court of Final Appeal, and pleaded with chief justice Andrew Cheung to stop supporting these deeds.
According to RFA, Chow, who was wearing a grey coat and shoes in court, was contesting a prison sentence for her defamation for giving false information about the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Motions of China, the organization that organized the now-banned monthly Tiananmen ceremony.
Chow alleged that the government had violated the law’s dignity in her remarks in an effort to improve authorities authority and control.
RFA reported that the case shows continued tensions over the demise of Hong Kong’s judicial system, especially since the passing of the sweeping National Security Law in 2020.
In response to growing concerns over the city’s social climate, some unusual judges have left the Court of Final Appeal. Former Canadian Supreme Court Justice Beverley McLachlin, as well as American courts Jonathan Sumption and Lawrence Collins, were just a few of them.
Collins precisely pointed to the increasing political force, while Sumption warned that judges were being “intimidated” by the government’s rely on national security.
Chow, who has been incarcerated since September 2021, recently received a 15-month word for organizing the 2021 Tiananmen ceremony. She could face additional constitutional hazard as a result of charges brought against her under the National Security Law that could result in up to ten years in prison.
The assault on public opposition, including the banning of pro-democracy situations, has intensified concerns that Hong Kong’s once-strong rule of law is continuously being undermined.
Chow’s stubborn position in front of the court highlights the growing political divide in Hong Kong, where opposing voices are increasingly subject to repression as a result of Beijing’s tightening influence over the city.
