Lords Reed and Hodge Resign as Non-Permanent Judges of Hong Kong’s Court of Final Appeal, Saying They Do Not Wish to Endorse Government
韋彥德、賀知義辭任終院非常任法官 稱不願為港府背書
The Court of Final Appeal currently has 12 overseas non-permanent judges. Chief Executive Carrie Lam has periodically highlighted their presence to emphasise Hong Kong’s judicial independence, but the future of the 12 positions has become uncertain. The UK Supreme Court announced today that its President, Lord Reed, and Deputy President, Lord Hodge, had resigned as non-permanent judges of Hong Kong’s Court of Final Appeal, with immediate effect. In a statement, Lord Reed said that after the implementation of the Hong Kong National Security Law, he had repeatedly weighed the work of the Court of Final Appeal against the national interests of the United Kingdom. He ultimately concluded that continuing to serve would inevitably create the impression that he was endorsing a government moving away from liberal democracy, and decided to resign from his Hong Kong position.
終審法院現時有12名海外非常任法官，特首林鄭不時以此強調香港司法獨立，惟12席法官去留出現變數。英國最高法院今宣布，英國最高法院院長及副院長韋彥德勳爵及賀知義勳爵，辭去香港終審法院非常任法官職務，即時生效。韋彥德在聲明指，《港區國安法》實施後不時權衡終院工作與英國國家利益，最終認為若繼續出任工作，將難免予人感覺正為一個遠離自由民主的政府背書，決定辭去香港的職務。