Latest news with #Judiciary
HKFP
2 days ago
- Politics
- HKFP
Detained Hong Kong activist Chow Hang-tung to launch 36-hour hunger strike on Tiananmen crackdown anniversary
Hong Kong barrister-activist Chow Hang-tung has announced that she will launch a 36-hour hunger strike in prison on Wednesday to mark the 36th anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown in Beijing. The 39-year-old activist, who has been detained since September 2021 pending trial under the national security law, said in a Patreon post on Sunday that she would commemorate June 4 and 'reaffirm our commitment' by fasting for 36 hours. This is the third year that Chow has planned a hunger strike behind bars to mark the anniversary of the Tiananmen crackdown. She began a 34-hour hunger strike on June 4, 2023, and vowed to extend her fast by one hour each year. 'I believe we all will have our own ways to remember the day,' read the post shared by Chow's Patreon account, which is managed by the activist's family and friends. Chow is the former vice chairperson of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, which organised Hong Kong's annual Tiananmen vigils. She is facing trial for incitement to subversion alongside the group and its two former leaders, Lee Cheuk-yan and Albert Ho. According to the Judiciary's website, Chow, Lee, and Ho are set to appear in court on August 4 for a second pre-trial review. Chow is also expected to make an application for quashing her indictment on November 3, a week before the 75-day trial is scheduled to begin on November 11. For three decades, the alliance organised an annual candlelight vigil to commemorate the victims of the Tiananmen crackdown, which occurred on June 4, 1989. It is estimated that hundreds, perhaps thousands, died when the People's Liberation Army quashed a student-led pro-democracy movement in Beijing. The vigil in Victoria Park has been banned since Beijing imposed a security law on the city in June 2020. The Alliance voted a year later to disband after its former leaders were prosecuted. In the Patreon post, Chow also reflected on winning an appeal at the city's top court in March, which quashed her conviction and those of two other former Alliance members for failing to comply with a national security police data request. The three were jailed for four and a half months each in August 2023 and had completed their term before winning the final appeal. The case was a 'manifestation of justice and the rule of law' for those implicated, she said. However, there is still a need to reflect on 'how such injustice has occurred,' she added. Chow accused the Department of Justice and the court of concurring with 'false accusations' made by the national security police that the Alliance had been a foreign agent. She said the 'actual crime' in the case was the 'smearing and prosecution of citizens.' 'Indeed, the criticism for this so-called technical victory should have focused on the lenient treatments of these evildoers,' she wrote. Chow added she had demanded that Secretary for Security Chris Tang apologise after the top court's ruling, but she was 'not certain' about how long it would take for the apology to come. 'History tells us that it will likely take a very long time – The Tiananmen Mothers have been waiting for 36 years and still have not received an apology. However, they have not given up on holding the government accountable,' she wrote. Beijing inserted national security legislation directly into Hong Kong's mini-constitution in June 2020 following a year of pro-democracy protests and unrest. It criminalised subversion, secession, collusion with foreign forces and terrorist acts – broadly defined to include disruption to transport and other infrastructure. The move gave police sweeping new powers and led to hundreds of arrests amid new legal precedents, while dozens of civil society groups disappeared. The authorities say it restored stability and peace to the city, rejecting criticism from trade partners, the UN and NGOs.
Malay Mail
3 days ago
- General
- Malay Mail
When comments are vulgar, humiliating, inappropriate, disrespectful and offensive, they are contemptuous — Hafiz Hassan
JUNE 1 — The Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) announced on Friday (May 30) that it would pursue contempt of court proceedings against senior lawyer Shafee Abdullah, over his 'Nazi Germany' reference regarding ex-prime minister Najib Abdul Razak's royal addendum case. In its statement, the AGC said Shafee's remark was made in the context of an ongoing case, and 'constitutes a serious and unwarranted attack' on the dignity, authority and independence of the Judiciary. Is there a legal basis for contempt of court proceedings against Shafee? Let's recall the case of Peguam Negara Malaysia v Mkini Dotcom Sdn Bhd [2021]. The facts in that case are straightforward. Malaysiakini published an article on June 9, 2020 about the acquittal of former Sabah Chief Minister Musa Aman of 46 charges of corruption and money laundering. Coincidentally on the same day, the Office of the Chief Registrar issued a press release by the Chief Justice for all courts to be fully operational from July 1, 2020, in line with the announcement that the country was moving into the recovery phase of the Movement Control Order (MCO). Malaysiakini republished from Bernama that press release as an article. Following that press release, a number of comments (impugned comments) by third party online subscribers appeared on Malaysiakini's website on the same day. A week after, the Attorney General by way of an ex parte notice of motion applied for leave to commence committal proceedings against the publisher of Malaysiakini as the first respondent and its editor in chief as the second respondent for publishing the impugned comments. The rest, as they say it, is history. By a majority (2:1), the Federal Court found the first respondent, but not the second respondent, guilty of contempt of court. Lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah has made a "Nazi Germany" remark against the government. — Picture by Hari Anggara. Contempt of court is a generic term descriptive of conduct which tends to undermine proceedings in a court of law and can take many forms. The law on contempt is not to protect the dignity of individual judges but to protect the administration of justice. The courts cannot permit any interference with the due administration of justice. Its purpose is to maintain public confidence in the administration of justice. Accordingly, criticisms of judges as individuals, rather than as judges, are not the subject of contempt. In Malaysiakini's case the impugned comments, which need not be repeated here, were beyond doubt contemptuous in nature. The respondents themselves admitted that the comments were indeed offensive, inappropriate, disrespectful and contemptuous. Both duly regretted their publication and put it on record that they did not condone them. When comments are vulgar, humiliating and offensive, they go beyond justified criticisms and amount to simple insults. No one in the right frame of mind can say that such comments are done in exercise of freedom of expression and therefore protected. A day after his Nazi Germany reference, Shafee, through his legal firm, clarified the remarks. If the AGC indeed pursues proceedings against him, the senior lawyer will have his day in court. * This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.
Reuters
3 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
Argentina protests flare after Congress fails to vote on pension hike
The court again showed its willingness to back his hardline approach to immigration while signaling reservations with how he is carrying it out. REUTERS/Rebecca Noble
Reuters
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Reuters
Immersive soccer experience in Buenos Aires blends sport and music
The court again showed its willingness to back his hardline approach to immigration while signaling reservations with how he is carrying it out. REUTERS/Rebecca Noble
Wall Street Journal
4 days ago
- General
- Wall Street Journal
Trump's Campaign Against Foreign Students Is on Shaky Legal Ground
The Trump administration has grabbed nationwide attention with the arrest of students and academics as part of its push to limit pro-Palestinian speech on college campuses. One by one, judges are pushing back on those efforts. In recent weeks, the courts have released several foreign students from detention while their cases continue and halted the government's efforts to limit international student visas.
