This June 18, 2019 photo shows the Wan Chai Tower in Hong Kong, where the District Court is located. (PHOTO / INFORMATION SERVICES DEPARTMENT, HKSAR)
The Central authorities and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government on Sunday strongly denounced threats made against a Hong Kong judge and her family, stressing that such illegal acts will not be tolerated.
The phone threats were made against District Court Judge Amanda Woodcock on Friday after she sentenced media tycoon Jimmy Lai Chee-ying and nine other opposition activists to jail and suspended jail terms for their roles in illegal protests in 2019.
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A spokesperson for the State Council’s Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office described the threats as a blatant challenge to Hong Kong’s judicial system and a gross attack on the rule of law.
The case must be handled seriously as it not only violates the SAR’s laws, but also the National Security Law for Hong Kong, the spokesperson said.
Calling judges the guardians of Hong Kong’s rule of law, the spokesperson said the central government will resolutely support them in vigorously enforcing the Constitution, the Basic Law and the National Security Law, and back the HKSAR government in cracking down on acts that endanger the safety of judicial personnel in accordance with the law.
A spokesperson for the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR stressed that Hong Kong judges should be widely respected as they not only bring outlaws to justice, but also help restore stability in the community.
The rule of law is the core value of Hong Kong and a cornerstone of the city’s sustained stability and prosperity, the spokesperson pointed out.
Any acts that attempt to attack the rule of law should be punished accordingly, and Hong Kong society should jointly and firmly support the local government in carrying out its duties to protect the rule of law, the spokesperson added.
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The Department of Justice said the HKSAR government will take “resolute action and will not tolerate such illegal acts that disregard the law and undermine the rule of law”. The police are actively following up on the case to bring the culprit or culprits to justice.
Under section 24 of the Crimes Ordinance, anyone who threatens any other person with injury shall be guilty and liable on conviction to five years’ imprisonment.
