自由黨對兩名英國終審法院非常任法官辭職表示遺憾 (2022年3月31日)

對於英國最高法院院長韋彥德勳爵和副院長賀知義勳爵辭任香港終審法院非常任法官，自由黨表示遺憾，並認為這是一個政治而非基於法治專業的決定。

自由黨強烈譴責英國政客透過本應保持司法獨立的司法機構，向香港特區司法機構施加政治壓力，我們也強烈駁斥英國外交部對《香港國安法》作出毫無根據的指控。國家的安全法律是任何國家的基本權利，與包括英國在內的許多國家一樣，該法律旨在保護其國家和公民。自由黨認為英國國會辯論香港事務，顯然是干預中國內政。

正如行政長官一再強調，自回歸以來，法治一直是香港特區的核心價值，這些價值是香港賴以成功的基石，受到《基本法》相關條文保障，並建基於特區獨立的司法權，包括終審權，和不受任何干涉的法院審判制度。此外，韋彥德勳爵亦在聲明中承認，香港法院對法治的堅持繼續備受國際尊重，可見兩位法官的辭任與香港特區的司法獨立或法治無關，只是因為他們被要求參與政治杯葛。

自由黨必須指出，香港的司法機構將會一如以往保持獨立於行政和立法之外，香港永遠都是中國不可分割的一部分，香港事務純屬國家內政，其他國家不容干預。

Resignation of two UK Judges from Hong Kong’s top courts (31st March 2022)

It is with much regret that two UK Judges resigned from our Court of Final Appeal.  This is evidently an act of political manipulation, a decision that is politically rather than professionally driven.  

We strongly condemn the UK politicians for interfering in Hong Kong’s judiciary using political pressures on an otherwise independent judiciary, and we also strongly refute the UK Foreign Ministry’s unjustifiable allegation citing concerns over the National Security Law.  The National Security Law is any nation’s basic right, and like many others, including Britain itself, the Law is for the protection of its country & citizens. This is an unfair allegation with double standards.

Our National Security Law is in our Basic Law, which governs all our affairs including the Rule of Law. We do not believe there is any justified concern about our Rule of Law and the independence of the Hong Kong judiciary. As our Chief Executive has rightfully pointed out that our judiciary is totally independent from the administration, and there is “no evidence of endorsing nor lending legitimacy to administration”.    Apparently, the withdrawal of judges has nothing to do with judicial independence or the Rule of Law, they are demands to participate in a political boycott. Indeed, one of the resigned judges Lord Reed acknowledged the Hong Kong courts’ continued commitment to the Rule of Law in his statement.

Hong Kong’s judiciary will be able to maintain its independence, with or without these two UK Judges, as we will steadfastly continue to exercise the “Separation of Powers” which separates the judicial to act independently from the executive and legislative, unlike what the UK Parliament did to pressure its judiciary in this issue.