Justice chief warns against 'rule of mob' in HK

Justice chief warns against 'rule of mob' in HK

Justice Secretary Teresa Cheng said on Monday that the turmoil of 2019 challenged Hong Kong's core values, including the rule of law, adding that when disarray such as unchecked acts of violence and vandalism prevails, it is more like "rule of mob".



In a speech at City Hall to mark the opening of the new legal year, Cheng noted that everyone can know in advance the consequences of any unlawful acts, saying Hong Kong's legislation is in plain language and accessible to all.



She also said that people's rights are subject to restrictions, quoting from a Court of Appeal ruling in a case involving Joshua Wong which said "if the individual's rights are over-emphasised at the expense of observing the law, people will easily become self-serving, with little regard for other people's rights and the overall interests of society, so that society is prone to fall into disarray."



Cheng quoted another court ruling, involving an injunction designed to stop doxxing of police officers, as saying criminal activity doesn't cease to be criminal activity simply because those involved believe they are acting for a higher cause.



The justice secretary also rejected the idea that it is right for a section of community to band together to disrupt the activities of another part of society.



Cheng said an example of the Department of Justice's achievements over the past year was that it "continues to provide honest, independent and professional legal advice on a wide spectrum of matters to the government".



"The department also takes seriously its constitutional role of controlling criminal prosecutions, free from any interference under Article 63 of the Basic Law, and all prosecutorial decisions are made after taking into account the available evidence, applicable laws and the principles set out in the Prosecution Code," she added.