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2026
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region passport holders will be able to enjoy visa-free travel to Azerbaijan, the Immigration Department announced today. The arrangement will allow Hong Kong SAR passport holders to visit the country up to three times, for as long as 30 days each time, from February 2, 2026 to February 2, 2027. Highlighting that Azerbaijan is a member of the Belt & Road Initiative, the department said the arrangement will bring travel convenience, and strengthen tourism-related, cultural and economic ties between the two places. Including Azerbaijan, 175 countries and territories allow visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to Hong Kong SAR passport holders.
The Security Bureau today said Guangdong's Nuclear Emergency Committee Office notified it about an operational event at Yangjiang Nuclear Power Station. Yesterday, unit 3 of the station was undergoing a planned overhaul. Station staff carried out steam generator drainage operations while the protection signals had not yet been cancelled, triggering the automatic initiation signal for the auxiliary feed water pumps. At present, the auxiliary feed water pumps concerned have returned to normal operation and the overhaul work is continuing as planned. The deviation did not affect the unit’s safety, the workers’ health, the nearby public or the environment. The bureau noted that the event was classified as a Level 0 deviation in accordance with the International Nuclear & Radiological Event Scale and the relevant nuclear safety regulations.
(To watch the full media session with sign language interpretation, click here.) Chief Executive John Lee said today the new seat belt mandate might cause inconvenience at first, but is essential to enhancing passenger safety. Starting from January 25, all seated passengers on public transport and in commercial vehicles must now wear seat belts. Outlining that the measure will require a change of behaviour, Mr Lee said that this small modification can potentially reduce serious injuries by 70%, and also reduce deaths. He remarked that, when enforcing the new laws, the Government will handle each case based on "law, reason and compassion". “The primary focus of the initial phase will be on public education, advice and changing habits," he said. “The law allows for a reasonable excuse, such as emergency or sudden special need, and those people will be exempted from liability.” Mr Lee added that the Transport & Logistics Bureau will require public transport operators to properly manage the cleanliness, functionality and regulatory compliance of seat belt installations.
The Correctional Services Department (CSD) today held the opening ceremony of the Hong Kong International Correctional Services Response Tactics Training Academy. With the motto of "Fusing East and West through tactics; Forging new heights through synergy", the academy aims to promote the sharing of emergency response tactics and experiences among law enforcement agencies from different jurisdictions, thereby further enhancing the CSD's collaboration with them and professional capabilities of each other. Located at the former Cape Collinson Correctional Institution, the academy offers a wide range of training facilities as well as an authentic correctional institution environment to provide members of law enforcement teams from the Mainland and overseas with professional correctional response tactics training. Speaking at the opening ceremony, Secretary for Security Tang Ping-keung said that the academy stands as a bold testament to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region's vision in correctional services - establishing a global hub where knowledge converges, skills are honed and professionalism is elevated. He added that the academy is poised to become a beacon of tactical mastery. It will provide meticulously crafted training courses for correctional and law enforcement professionals from around the world. It is also a dynamic platform for the exchange of cutting-edge tactics, where experience meets innovation, and where every lesson learned strengthens the fabric of correctional security. The academy offers tactics training courses that combine both theory and practice, including the Certificate in Safe & Effective Control Tactics, the Certificate in Close Quarter Defense & Control Technique, and other courses relating to correctional response forces' anti-riot tactics. It also plans to progressively introduce instructor courses, enabling graduates to provide relevant training for other personnel to elevate professional standards in their respective organisations. In addition, the academy will proactively reach out to correctional institutions worldwide to foster learning and exchanges among different jurisdictions. The first batch of 29 participants from the Mainland, Macau, Brunei, Fiji, Malaysia, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea and Vietnam arrived in Hong Kong yesterday for tactical exchanges with the CSD's response teams and the Certificate in Safe & Effective Control Tactics course.
The Police Force has alerted the public to fraudulent SMS messages purporting to be from its “eTraffic Ticket Platform”. The messages contain hyperlinks that lead to fake websites posing as the official platform’s “Verify/Pay Ticket” page, and are clearly an attempt to deceive citizens into providing their credit card details and personal information. The force clarified that the fraudulent URLs included in the SMS messages, namely https://etraffictickot.top/hk/ and https://etrafticket.one/hk, are not official platforms. Members of the public are urged not to click on the hyperlinks. The genuine web address of the Police Force’s “eTraffic Ticket Platform” is https://www.etrafficticket.gov.hk. The force emphasised that SMS messages about electronic Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) are only ever issued under the sender name “#HKPF-eTT”, and that FPNs, whether issued via SMS messages or email, will never contain any hyperlinks. Anyone who has submitted personal information via the fraudulent websites should report the matter to the force by calling 18222. Call 181 181 for enquiries about the platform.
The Government will carefully study and follow up on the coroner’s verdict on the deaths of passengers in a 2012 vessel collision near Lamma Island. In a statement after the Coroner’s Court finished reading the inquest verdict today, the Government added that it respects the court’s judgment, and reiterated its deepest condolences to the families of the deceased passengers. The Government said the Marine Department (MD) will study and follow up on the four recommendations made by the coroner. Firstly, the coroner recommended that the department have regular engagement with shipbuilders, marine transport service operators and relevant professional bodies, or issue simple guidance notes or clarifications to ensure that they understand the application of relevant rules and regulations. The MD responded that it had implemented a Local Safety Management system, which has enhanced communication with the industry through the adoption of a proactive approach to risk management. The second recommendation is to launch a new declaration system requiring vessel owners, before each periodical survey, to confirm whether any alterations have been made since the previous survey. Regarding this proposal, the MD said it is preparing to introduce a requirement, under the existing ship inspection system, that shipowners must declare “no unauthorised alterations” to vessels prior to a survey. The MD is also urged to continue its review of seafarers’ working hours and rest arrangements, with a focus on identifying fatigue risks in day-to-day operations. The department should also consult major ferry operators in the process and hold discussions via the Local Vessels Advisory Committee. The Government said it will review local seafarers’ working environment and conditions, and consult stakeholders thoroughly. Lastly, the coroner proposed that the MD pass on to the wider trade the recommendations given to Cheoy Lee Shipyards by the coroner. The MD said it will communicate with other shipyards on regarding these recommendations. Separately, the Government said that following the incident it established a Commission of Inquiry (CoI) in accordance with the CoI Ordinance. An internal investigation was led by the then Transport & Housing Bureau. Expert reports under various investigations were also accepted. The Government emphasised that it has been diligent in supervising the MD in following up on the recommendations presented, and in fully implementing five categories of enhancements. Regarding the responsibilities of the MD officers involved, the Government said an internal investigation report was forwarded to the Civil Service Bureau. The latter, in accordance with the report’s recommendations and the Department of Justice’s legal advice, took disciplinary actions and carried out follow-up work. In addition, two MD officers involved in the incident were prosecuted and sentenced to imprisonment, the Government added.
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.