New HK law bars foreign judges from security trials

BEIJING, May 26

Beijing’s planned national security legislation for Hong Kong is set to block its foreign judges from handling national security trials, people familiar with the matter said, which would exacerbate concerns about the city’s judicial independence.

Having lost patience with Hong Kong’s failure to adopt national security legislation on its own, China announced on Thursday that it would directly enact laws to tackle secession, subversion, terrorism and foreign interference in the city. The legislation, which the sources said remains subject to change, would also see both central and city government security agencies set up in Hong Kong, they said.

The people familiar with the issue declined to be identified because they are not authorised to speak to the media. The Hong Kong government has said the legislation would not affect its judicial independence. The Legislative Affairs Commission of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress could not immediately be reached for comment. China’s Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. — Reuters