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Britain is contemplating pulling its judges out of Hong Kong’s highest court, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab stated on Monday, in its newest response to what it considers China’s breaches of its worldwide obligations within the territory.
Britain, which dominated Hong Kong for over 150 years till it handed it again to China in 1997, says a brand new safety regulation imposed on the territory by Beijing simply earlier than midnight on June 30 was a breach of the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration that paved the way in which for the handover.
London has additionally objected to new guidelines imposed by mainland China to disqualify elected legislators in Hong Kong, and to what it describes as retribution by the territory’s govt in opposition to political opposition and silencing of dissent.
“This has been, and continues to be, the most concerning period in Hong Kong’s post-handover history,” Raab wrote in his foreword to the most recent in an everyday collection of six-monthly reviews on Hong Kong.
“I have begun consultations with Lord Reed, President of the UK Supreme Court, concerning when to review whether it continues to be appropriate for British judges to sit as non-permanent judges on the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal.”
The presence of overseas judges in Hong Kong is enshrined within the Basic Law, the mini-constitution that ensures the worldwide monetary hub’s freedoms and intensive autonomy below Chinese rule, together with the continuation of Hong Kong’s widespread regulation traditions solid in the course of the British colonial period.
The Hong Kong authorities hit again at what it described as “sweeping attacks and groundless accusations” within the report, including they had been “irresponsible remarks”.
The Chinese overseas ministry’s fee in Hong Kong expressed “strong indignation” on the report, in accordance to the official Xinhua information company.
“Wake up and stop the old colonial dream of interfering in Hong Kong’s affairs!”, it quoted a consultant as saying.
Hong Kong chief Carrie Lam has repeatedly spoken of the function of main overseas judges in highlighting Hong Kong’s judicial independence.
About 13 overseas judges at present function non-permanent judges on Hong Kong’s high court, together with 9 British jurists.
Beijing imposed a nationwide safety regulation on Hong Kong in June that punishes what authorities broadly outline as secession, sedition and collusion with overseas forces with up to life in jail, following a yr of typically violent demonstrations.
Western governments and worldwide human rights teams have expressed concern the regulation will crush freedoms in Hong Kong.
In the foreword, Raab stated he had begun consulting on what to do about British judges who at present sit on Hong Kong’s high court.
Britain had already introduced new immigration guidelines making it simpler for individuals from Hong Kong to stay within the United Kingdom, suspended its extradition treaty with Hong Kong and prolonged its China arms embargo to embody Hong Kong.
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