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Jailed Hong Kong rights lawyer and prominent Tiananmen massacre vigil organiser, Chow Hang-tung, has sharply criticised the city's highest-ranking judges, accusing them of complicity in what she described as a "police state" under the current government, as reported by Radio Free Asia (RFA).
During an appeal at the Court of Final Appeal, Chow condemned the judiciary for enabling government abuses and urged Chief Justice Andrew Cheung to stop endorsing these actions. According to RFA, Chow, who appeared in court dressed in a beige coat and sneakers, was challenging a jail sentence related to her refusal to provide information on the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, the group responsible for organising the now-banned annual Tiananmen vigil. In her remarks, Chow accused the authorities of undermining the dignity of the law to strengthen police power and control. RFA reported that the case highlights ongoing tensions over the erosion of judicial independence in Hong Kong, particularly since the imposition of the sweeping National Security Law in 2020. Several foreign judges have resigned from the Court of Final Appeal in recent years, citing growing concerns over the city's political climate. Among them were former Canadian Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin, and British judges Jonathan Sumption and Lawrence Collins. Collins specifically pointed to the increasing political pressure, while Sumption warned that judges were being "intimidated" by the government's focus on national security. According to Radio Free Asia, Chow, who has been incarcerated since September 2021, previously served a 15-month sentence for her role in organizing the 2021 Tiananmen vigil. She faces further legal jeopardy, with potential charges under the National Security Law that could lead to up to 10 more years behind bars. The crackdown on public dissent, including the banning of pro-democracy events, has intensified fears that Hong Kong's once-strong rule of law is steadily being undermined. Chow's defiant stance in court underscores the deepening political divide in Hong Kong, where dissenting voices face increasing repression under the influence of Beijing's tightening control over the city. (ANI)
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