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South China Morning Post

Hong Kong court dismisses challenge over tech hub project after activist withdraws bid

A Hong Kong court has thrown out a judicial challenge against the government's approval of an environmental study of the San Tin Technopole project, after dismissing the applicant's request to have another activist take over his case. Advertisement The High Court on Friday allowed social worker Eddie Tse Sai-kit to withdraw the challenge, but found insufficient basis for a former district councillor to carry on with the proceedings in his absence. Tse had earlier obtained the court's permission to initiate judicial review proceedings, citing concerns including the authorities' failure to go through the proper consultation process before endorsing an environmental impact assessment report on developing a technology hub near the mainland Chinese border. But the litigant said in an earlier court statement he abandoned the challenge 'with utmost regret' after he was refused legal aid and became a target of 'widespread harassment and intimidation', with his family also suffering from mail threats and online doxxing. Mr Justice Russell Coleman in his written ruling denounced the conduct of Tse's harassers as insidious and unacceptable, but said most online allegations made against the social worker arose from ' other aspects of the applicant's circumstances ' rather than his legal bid. Advertisement The judge also highlighted the main reason for Tse to withdraw his case was to avoid bearing the government's legal expenses in the absence of legal aid should his bid fail. 'It is not acceptable, and it is deeply unattractive that persons pursuing legitimate legal rights in matters of public interest should ever be concerned that they or their families might face potential harassment and intimidation from faceless and nameless third parties hiding in the shadows,' Coleman wrote.