When Britain handed over to China in 1997, Hong Kong was promised a degree of autonomy based on the “one country, two systems” principle for at least 50 years.
(Photo: dpa)
Hong Kong In Hong Kong, China is removing the remains of democratic structures in the former British colony. The Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress in Beijing ordered Hong Kong Premier John Lee to overrule a ruling by a metropolitan court, Xinhua News Agency reported.
This fuels concerns that judicial independence in the metropolis will be further undermined. When Britain handed over to China in 1997, Hong Kong was promised a degree of autonomy based on the “one country, two systems” principle for at least 50 years. Civil rights and liberties in force under the British should be preserved.
Critics accuse the communist leadership in Beijing of having increasingly undermined these freedoms. It expanded control of the SAR after the 2019 mass pro-democracy protests by imposing a national security law on the city in 2020.
Lee, who is loyal to Beijing, was Hong Kong’s security chief at the time. Britain and the US accuse China of failing to meet handover commitments. The government in Beijing rejects the allegations.
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The decision of the People’s Congress was triggered by a court case against the Hong Kong media entrepreneur and critic of the communist government, Jimmy Lai. He is accused of violating the security law. The entrepreneur, who has been imprisoned for two years, faces a life sentence. The People’s Congress has now ruled that no foreign lawyers are allowed to defend Lai.
The background to this is that in a number of similar cases, the Hong Kong judiciary failed in court with applications to exclude foreign lawyers in processes related to national security. Hong Kong Premier Lee then appealed to the People’s Congress, which gave him the power to overturn such judicial decisions.
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