In response to the criminal intimidation against judges threatening their personal safety after they have delivered a judgment, the Department of Justice issued the following statement today (July 27):
The Department of Justice has reiterated that in exercising judicial power, a judge is required to handle cases strictly in accordance with applicable law and evidence. Article 85 of the Basic Law guarantees that the courts of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) shall exercise judicial power independently, free from any interference. Intimidation against judges, who perform judicial duties, and posing threats to their personal safety, are unacceptable. The HKSAR Government will take resolute actions and will not tolerate such illegal acts which disregard the law and undermine the rule of law. Police will leave no stone unturned to apprehend the culprit so as to safeguard the city's public peace and safety.
Under section 24 of the Crimes Ordinance, anyone who threatens any other person with injury to him/her shall be guilty and liable on conviction upon indictment to imprisonment for five years. The Department of Justice warned that criminal intimidation is a serious offence and members of the public should not break the law.
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