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2026
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government said today it vehemently opposes a resolution adopted by the European Parliament on Hong Kong, and strongly condemns it for using the Lai Chee-ying case to make baseless allegations about Hong Kong and smear its laws safeguarding national security. In a statement, the Hong Kong SAR Government said the European Parliament had made sweepingly generalised and grandstanding comments, completely disregarding the profound historical significance of the National Security Law (NSL) and its undeniably positive impact on Hong Kong. The statement added that the European Parliament said nothing about the strict enforcement of national security laws by other governments, thereby laying bare its own double standard and despicable political manipulation. It said the European Parliament showed no respect for the independent judgment of Hong Kong’s courts in the Lai Chee-Ying case, and refused to acknowledge the evidence set out in the reasons for the verdict. The Hong Kong SAR Government stated that it fulfilled its constitutional duty in 2024 by enacting, with broad societal consensus, the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance (SNSO), thereby improving the city’s legal system and enforcement mechanisms for safeguarding national security. It said the SNSO’s enactment has enabled Hong Kong's transition “from chaos to order” and advancement “from stability to prosperity”. The statement added that in the five years of its implementation the NSL has restored the rights and freedoms Hong Kong citizens could not enjoy during the “black-clad violence” period, and returned livelihoods and the city’s business environment back to normal. With regard to the conviction of Lai Chee-Ying, the statement said the verdict was entirely free from any political considerations. It outlined that the court made clear in a well-founded and reasoned verdict that he was not on trial for his political views or beliefs, and iterated that the court made its decision strictly in accordance with the law and evidence, free from any interference and absolutely free of any political considerations. The statement added that any suggestion that certain individuals or organisations should be immune from the legal consequences of their illegal acts amounts to advocating for special privileges to break the law, which runs contrary to the spirit of the rule of law. Further, it stressed that the Lai Chee-ying case had nothing to do with freedom of the press, and that the defendants involved had used journalism as a guise over the years to commit acts that brought harm to the country and Hong Kong. The Hong Kong SAR Government said Lai Chee-ying's health has been properly cared for, highlighting that the senior counsel representing him said in court that he had been receiving appropriate treatment and care in prison, and that he had made no complaint regarding his custodial arrangements. The statement added that anyone seeking to use the case to vilify Hong Kong’s rule of law and human rights situation is guilty of twisting the facts and lacks any integrity. It emphasised that the Hong Kong SAR Government will resolutely, fully and faithfully implement the NSL, the SNSO and other relevant laws safeguarding national security, whilst upholding the rights and freedoms of residents in accordance with the law to ensure the steadfast and successful implementation of the “one country, two systems” principle.
The Coroner's Court today returned the verdict on the cause of death of the passengers involved in the vessel collision incident near Lamma Island in 2012. The Government said it is closely monitoring the delivery of the verdict. The delivery of the verdict is to be continued and the Government will continue to study the judgment. In a statement, the Government said it attaches great importance to the incident, after which investigations at various levels have been conducted. It also noted that the Marine Department has implemented all practicable recommendations in the investigation reports to enhance maritime safety to prevent a recurrence of similar incidents. After the incident, Police commenced a criminal investigation and arrested the coxswain of "Sea Smooth", Lai Sai-ming, and the coxswain of "Lamma IV", Chow Chi-wai, in October 2012. In February 2015, Chow Chi-wai was convicted of endangering the safety of others at sea and Lai Sai-ming was convicted of 39 counts of manslaughter and a count of endangering the safety of others at sea. Separately, former senior ship inspector of the Marine Department Wong Kam-ching and then Assistant Director of Marine So Ping-chi, were placed under arrest in March 2015 and subsequently convicted of the offence of perjury and the offence of misconduct in public office in February and June 2016 respectively. So Ping-chi was sentenced to 16 months' imprisonment, with his appeal succeeded and his sentence reduced to 4.5 months, while Wong Kam-ching was sentenced to 15 months' imprisonment. When considering whether to conduct a death inquest in 2020, the Coroner's Court ruled the deaths as unlawful killing.
The Constitutional & Mainland Affairs Bureau said today that the matter of a seat upgrade for Director of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government’s Tianjin Liaison Unit Ricky Cheng has been referred to law enforcement agencies for follow up. The bureau made the remarks today in response to media enquiries regarding Mr Cheng’s earlier trip on a vessel to Macau. The referral to law enforcement was made upon further investigation regarding concerns arising from Mr Cheng’s social media posts that indicated his seat had been upgraded. The bureau said that the incident was suspected of breaching the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance concerning the unauthorised acceptance of advantages by civil servants. The bureau added that Mr Cheng was a contract staff worker and it has decided to terminate his contract with immediate effect.
At the Ceremonial Opening of the Legal Year 2026 today, Chief Justice Andrew Cheung noted that the high-profile case of Lai Chee-ying had garnered criticism of Hong Kong’s courts and rule of law, but highlighted that the strength of the justice system lies in its adherence to the law and its openness to scrutiny. In his speech, Mr Cheung outlined that the Court of First Instance recently concluded the criminal trial of Lai Chee-ying and his companies, resulting in their convictions for national security and conspiracy offences. Mr Cheung made it clear that sentencing remains pending and appeals may or may not be forthcoming, adding that he will not comment on the merits of the case or make categorical assertions about the proceedings. The Chief Justice said the Judiciary fully respects the right of individuals to express their views. However, any serious comment or disagreement intended to be taken seriously must be grounded in a careful reading of the judgment and a sincere effort to understand the court's reasoning. “Any suggestion that a judge would compromise their conscience or integrity for political or other extraneous considerations when hearing a case is, by its very nature, a serious one that should not be made without cogent evidence. Bald and unsubstantiated allegations of this kind merely indicate that the criticisms may themselves be influenced by political or other extraneous considerations,” he said. “As to sweeping comments on the state of the rule of law in Hong Kong arising from the outcome of a particular case, many of us may be forgiven for growing weary of simplistic assertions that the rule of law is dead whenever a court reaches a result one finds unpalatable. “The rule of law in Hong Kong is far more robust and enduring than the outcome of any single case. It cannot be that the rule of law is alive one day, dead the next, and resurrected on the third, depending on whether the Government or another party happens to prevail in court on a particular day. Such a claim needs only to be stated to highlight how untenable it is.” As regards calls to halt proceedings or prematurely release a defendant based on reasons such as occupation, background or political causes, Mr Cheung stressed that no one is above the law. “It should be emphasised that such demands not only circumvent the legal procedures established to ensure accountability under the law, but also strike at the very heart of the rule of law itself. A foundational tenet of the rule of law is that no one is above the law, regardless of their status, occupation, office, political affiliation, personal belief or conviction, popularity, wealth, connection, or any other characteristic. The law applies equally to all, without fear or favour.” Also speaking at the event, Secretary for Justice Paul Lam pointed out that discussions on cases which are considered to be of public interest are generally permissible because of Hong Kong’s freedom of expression and freedom of the press. However, he emphasised in his speech that these freedoms did not include making unfounded accusations against the integrity of the Judiciary. “It is disappointing and frustrating, though not entirely surprising, that the Judiciary has been subject to such unfounded accusations due to judgments delivered in a number of highly charged national security cases last year and recently. Worse still, some of these accusations were misrepresented as facts and used as pretext to advocate imposing unlawful sanctions against judges involved in those cases, and to put illegitimate pressures on foreign non-permanent judges of the Court of Final Appeal to resign.” Mr Lam added that he felt obliged to refute the unfounded accusations, to avoid undermining people's trust and confidence in the judicial system and the rule of law in Hong Kong. He also noted that in considering the validity of any criticism that has been made against the courts in those cases, it is important that people should observe what happened in the course of the judicial proceedings and study the judgments in the cases.
Threats of sanctions, a direct affront to the rule of law, are totally unacceptable to a civilised society like Hong Kong as well as any judicial system, said Chief Justice Andrew Cheung. At the Ceremonial Opening of the Legal Year 2026 today, Mr Cheung pointed out that it is unfair to name judges as targets for potential sanctions, as judges have only been performing duties in accordance with their judicial oath. “I hope that these threats of sanctions will never materialise,” he added.
The Immigration Department today announced that enhancements for Hong Kong residents using automated passenger clearance services in the Macao Special Administrative Region will take effect on January 19. The enhancements will be launched in collaboration with the Public Security Police Force, the Identification Services Bureau and the Public Security Forces Affairs Bureau of Macao. The new measures include adjusting the eligible age for mutual use of automated immigration clearance services and relaxing the requirements for the use of self-service enrolment kiosks for enrolment of such services. At present, Hong Kong residents aged 11 or above holding a valid Hong Kong permanent identity card are eligible for using the automated passenger clearance services in the Macao Special Administrative Region after enrolment. Under the new measure, Hong Kong residents aged seven to 10 holding a valid Hong Kong permanent identity card will also be eligible for using the automated passenger clearance services in the Macao SAR after enrolment. Similarly, Macau residents aged seven to 10 holding a valid Macau permanent identity card may use e-Channels to complete the automated immigration clearance after enrolment. Moreover, Hong Kong non-permanent residents aged 18 or above, holding a valid Hong Kong identity card and a valid Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Document of Identity for Visa Purposes with a validity of more than 90 days may perform the self-service enrolment for using the automated passenger clearance services in the Macao SAR at designated locations in Macau. Under the new measure, these people may also do so at the enrolment kiosks installed at designated control points or at various Registration of Persons Offices in Hong Kong. Meanwhile, Macau residents aged 18 or above holding a valid Macau non-permanent identity card and a valid visit permit for residents of Macau to the Hong Kong SAR may also perform the self-service enrolment for using e-Channel services at designated locations in the Macao SAR. For enquiries, call 2824 6111, fax 2877 7711 or send an email to [email protected].
Police announced today that the identification and forensic examination of remains from the Tai Po Wang Fuk Court fire have been completed, with a total of 168 deceased persons confirmed. A fireman, two interior decorators, five construction workers, nine Indonesian domestic helpers and one Filipina domestic helper were among the deceased which comprised 58 males and 110 females, aged between six months and 98. Four of them were certified dead after being taken to hospital, while the remains of the other 164 were recovered at the scene. All bereaved families have been notified of the confirmed identities of the deceased, and all remains recovered in the incident have been positively identified, leaving no unidentified remains outstanding. Additionally, all enquiries regarding the Wang Fuk Court fire received by the Casualty Enquiry Unit have been verified, with no missing persons unaccounted for. Police continue to probe the fire, with a death investigation report to be submitted to the coroner, who will then review it and decide whether an inquest should be held. Should a hearing be convened, Police will submit the deceased individual's particulars to the court. These particulars will not be disclosed at this stage to respect the wishes of the grieving relatives. Call the Police casualty enquiry hotline at 1878 999 for enquiries.
The second edition of the Hong Kong Common Law Practical Training Course, co-organised by the Hong Kong International Legal Talents Training Academy and the Supreme People’s Court (SPC), is being held from today to January 22. Speaking at the course’s opening ceremony today, Secretary for Justice Paul Lam stressed that it is key to implementing the national policy of strengthening Mainland judges’ ability to handle foreign-related cases, in line with anticipated priorities in the 15th Five-Year Plan. The Department of Justice highlighted that this year’s course builds on last year’s inaugural course and focuses on company law. The course has attracted the participation of 24 senior judges from 22 courts on the Mainland – including the SPC and courts in 12 provinces and three directly-administered municipalities. The department said the course will feature an in-depth exploration of Hong Kong’s robust company law framework through lectures, dialogue sessions and interactive exercises on topics such as company structures, guarantees and liquidations. Speakers include leading Hong Kong legal scholars, experts and judges, who will share practical insights into the city’s common law system and company law. With the Ceremonial Opening of the 2026 Legal Year taking place this month, the department said course participants will attend this important annual legal event, and will also visit courts and international legal institutions in Hong Kong to learn more about the city’s development as a legal hub and a centre for international legal and dispute resolution services in the Asia-Pacific region. The Secretary for Justice outlined that the last year’s course was the academy’s inaugural event following its launch in 2024, and that positive results had been recorded. He thanked the SPC for its continued support for and trust in the academy. The department said the academy will continue to organise capacity-building programmes aimed at leveraging the unique advantages of the “one country, two systems” principle and Hong Kong’s common law system. By doing so, it will promote judicial and legal exchanges and mutual learning between the Mainland and Hong Kong, and further contribute to the country’s efforts to develop foreign-related rule of law, the department added.
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government welcomed the judgment handed down by the Court of First Instance today to dismiss Chow Hang-tung’s application for a judicial review on the clothing policy for persons in custody (PICs). The court judgment pointed out that the current clothing policy for PICs, including the requirement for female PICs to wear trousers in summer daytime, was formulated by the Correctional Services Department (CSD) as authorised by the Prison Rules. The court was satisfied that the CSD had the expertise and experience in the relevant context, and that it had carefully considered various factors, and had taken professional opinion into account when making the decision, as well as reviewed the policy continuously. The court ruled that Chow Hang-tung had failed to demonstrate that the current policy constituted less favourable treatment of a particular gender. It pointed out that there was currently no factual evidence to support any assertion that there was widespread concern about the health effects of wearing trousers in summer. In addition, the rule was not absolute, but instead allowed individual PICs to apply for exceptional arrangements in special circumstances. At the same time, the court also rejected Chow Hang-tung’s assertion that her request to the CSD in July and August 2024 for wearing shorts and had been refused. The Security Bureau said the Court of First Instance’s ruling confirmed that the CSD’s approach is reasonable, justified and lawful. According to Rule 26 of the Prison Rules, the CSD must provide every PIC with a uniform that meets a scale imposed by the Commissioner of Correctional Services. Over the years, the CSD had appointed task groups from time to time to review the clothing arrangements of PICs. These reviews gave ample consideration to numerous factors so as to continuously refine clothing arrangements according to the prevailing circumstances. Such factors included the type of correctional institutions, PICs’ varying daily routines and activities involved, the need for thermal, physical and psychological comfort for PICs of both genders, privacy and decency of PICs, and the security, good order and discipline of the prison. The bureau added that Chow Hang-tung’s assertion that she had requested to wear shorts in summer and was rejected by the CSD is entirely inconsistent with the facts, and was rejected by the court. Besides, the current clothing policy for PICs already provides a degree of flexibility. For example, a PIC may make an application to wear other clothing on medical or non-medical grounds to the CSD which would make appropriate arrangements having considered the actual circumstances and relevant factors. The bureau added that the CSD will continue to impartially implement the relevant rules of the Prison Rules in accordance with the law, and commit to providing a secure, safe, humane, decent and healthy custodial environment.
The Law Reform Commission today published Cyber-Dependent Crimes & Jurisdictional Issues, a report that recommends the introduction of new legislation to address five types of “cyber-dependent” crimes. The Government said it welcomed the report and will conduct a thorough study of its recommendations. The five types of “cyber-dependent” crimes identified are ones that can be committed only by using information and communications technology, namely illegally accessing programs or data, illegal interception of data, illegal interference with data, illegal interference with computer systems, and making available a device, program or data for use in committing a cyber-related crime. The commission’s Cybercrime Sub-committee has studied current laws in Hong Kong, as well as corresponding legislation in Australia, Canada, the Chinese Mainland, New Zealand, Singapore, the US, and England and Wales. It highlighted that, at present, different computer-related offences are covered in Hong Kong’s Crimes Ordinance and the Telecommunications Ordinance, but that some of these are outdated. Moreover, all of the other jurisdictions studied have legislated against the five types of cyber-dependent crime identified either through bespoke cyber-crime legislation or amending parts of existing codified laws. One of the report’s recommendations is that accessing programs or data without lawful authority should be a summary offence. It stresses that an aggravated form of the offence arises if the unauthorised access is accompanied by intent to carry out further criminal activity. The commission also recommends that unauthorised interception of computer data carried out for dishonest or criminal purposes should be an offence. It says this would protect both private and non-private communications, and would apply to data generally. In addition, the report proposes that both illegal interference with computer data and computer systems, and knowingly making available a device, program or data for use in committing a cyber-related crime, should be offences. In line with international norms, it recommends that Hong Kong law should provide for the extra-territorial application of the five cyber-dependent offences proposed. It adds that Hong Kong courts should have jurisdiction in cases where connections with Hong Kong exist. The report also advises that, as the severity of the harms caused by cyber-crime are wide-reaching, each of the proposed offences should carry a maximum sentence for summary convictions of two years’ imprisonment, and one of 14 years’ imprisonment for convictions on indictment. For aggravated forms of Interference Offences involving danger to life – for example, interference with a railway signal system – the proposed maximum penalty is life imprisonment. The commission said the report represents its first set of findings following the issuance of a consultation paper by its Cybercrime Sub-committee in 2022, and that responses to the paper were taken into account in formulating the recommendations contained in the report. It added that the report adopted the guiding principle of balancing the rights of users of information and communications technology and the interests of persons in the information technology industry against the need to protect the public against being disturbed or attacked when using or operating computer systems. In a statement, the Security Bureau said the Government will carefully consider how to follow up on the report and implement its recommendations. The commission’s Cybercrime Sub‑committee is also conducting further research into other aspects relating to cybercrime. The Government said it will study all of the commission’s findings carefully and thoroughly with a view to formulating comprehensive legislation that addresses the challenges to public order arising from advancements in information technology.