kakase/hk_gov_press_release huggingface dataset:
Recruitment arrangement for Government Counsel applicants announced
10.8.2021

The Department of Justice today (August 10) reminded potential applicants for the post of Government Counsel (GC) that they are required to obtain a certain level of results in the Common Recruitment Examination (CRE) and the Basic Law Test (BLT) in order to be qualified for the post. The GC recruitment exercise will be conducted in around late August/early September this year. Applicants will be required to obtain a Level 2 result in the Use of English (UE) paper and a Level 1 result in the Use of Chinese (UC) paper of the CRE, as well as a pass result in the BLT. In this connection, Level 5 or above in English Language in the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE) Examination or Grade C or above in Use of English in the Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination (HKALE) or Grade C or above in English Language in the General Certificate of Education (Advanced Level) are accepted as equivalent to Level 2 in the UE paper of the CRE. Furthermore, Level 4 in Chinese Language in the HKDSE Examination or Grade D in Chinese Language and Culture or Chinese Language and Literature in the HKALE are accepted as equivalent to Level 1 in the UC paper of the CRE. Other equivalent qualifications can also be found at www.csb.gov.hk/english/recruit/cre/949.html . Under exceptional circumstances a limited number of applicants who do not meet the requisite Chinese language requirement may be appointed subject to the operational needs of the department. Applicants for the GC post should also take the BLT. A pass result in the BLT is an entry requirement for the GC post. Those attaining a score at or above 53 out of the full marks of 100 (i.e. getting at least eight out of 15 questions correct) will be deemed to have a pass result in the BLT. Only those applicants who have passed the BLT will be considered for appointment. The BLT result will also constitute an appropriate weighting in an applicant's overall assessment. The next CRE and BLT will be held in Hong Kong on October 2 and 9 or another date in October if necessary. Prospective GC applicants without the requisite results in the CRE or equivalent and/or those who have not attained a pass result in the BLT are invited to apply from August 7 to 20 for sitting the relevant examination and/or test. Further information on the CRE and the BLT is available on the homepage of the Civil Service Bureau (under the "Recruitment" section) at www.csb.gov.hk . Ends/Tuesday, August 10, 2021 Issued at HKT 15:00 NNNN
Intimidation against judges handled seriously
27.7.2021

In response to the criminal intimidation against judges threatening their personal safety after they have delivered a judgment, the Department of Justice issued the following statement today (July 27): The Department of Justice has reiterated that in exercising judicial power, a judge is required to handle cases strictly in accordance with applicable law and evidence. Article 85 of the Basic Law guarantees that the courts of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) shall exercise judicial power independently, free from any interference. Intimidation against judges, who perform judicial duties, and posing threats to their personal safety, are unacceptable. The HKSAR Government will take resolute actions and will not tolerate such illegal acts which disregard the law and undermine the rule of law. Police will leave no stone unturned to apprehend the culprit so as to safeguard the city's public peace and safety. Under section 24 of the Crimes Ordinance, anyone who threatens any other person with injury to him/her shall be guilty and liable on conviction upon indictment to imprisonment for five years. The Department of Justice warned that criminal intimidation is a serious offence and members of the public should not break the law. Ends/Tuesday, July 27, 2021 Issued at HKT 23:22 NNNN
SJ to visit Beijing
26.7.2021

The Secretary for Justice, Ms Teresa Cheng, SC, will visit Beijing from tomorrow (July 27) to July 30. While in Beijing, Ms Cheng will meet with officials from various ministries and authorities. She will also sign a number of co-operation arrangements in order to enhance training and exchanges between the Mainland and Hong Kong in the areas of legal, dispute resolution and deal-making services. Ms Cheng will travel to Beijing from Shenzhen tomorrow and will return to Hong Kong via Shenzhen on July 31. Ends/Monday, July 26, 2021 Issued at HKT 12:00 NNNN
Government will not tolerate any harassment against judges
8.7.2021

In light of the persistent harassment against a judge while handling court cases, the Department of Justice issued the following statement today (July 8): Article 85 of the Basic Law stipulates, "The courts of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) shall exercise judicial power independently, free from any interference." The HKSAR Government will not tolerate any act of harassment against judges while performing their judicial duties. If there is any attempt to exert influence over court proceedings through despicable means, the HKSAR Government will spare no effort in bringing the culprit to justice in order to safeguard the due administration of the judicial process and public peace. Acts of harassment may constitute criminal offences. Under section 24 of the Crimes Ordinance, anyone who threatens any other person with injury to him or her shall be guilty of an offence. Section 20(c) of the Summary Offences Ordinance points out that any person persistently making telephone calls without reasonable cause and for the purpose of causing annoyance, inconvenience or needless anxiety to any other person commits a crime. Such acts may also be seen as perverting the course of justice. If an act creates a real risk of prejudice to court proceedings in that the public confidence in the due administration of justice is undermined, it may amount to contempt of court. These are serious offences that may attract a maximum sentence up to seven years' imprisonment. Any acts of harassment, personal attacks, insults and even threats against judges would severely undermine the authority of the courts and damage public confidence in the judicial system. It is disgraceful to disrupt social order maliciously with an attempt to interfere with court proceedings. Offenders not only act in blatant defiance of the law and undermine the rule of law, but also break the law and must bear severe legal consequences. Ends/Thursday, July 8, 2021 Issued at HKT 19:53 NNNN
Online seminar co-organised by AALCO Hong Kong Regional Arbitration Centre and eBRAM International Online Dispute Resolution Centre held today (with photo)
27.6.2023

The Department of Justice (DoJ) and the Supreme Court of Brunei Darussalam have facilitated the organisation of an online seminar co-organised by the AALCO Hong Kong Regional Arbitration Centre and the eBRAM International Online Dispute Resolution Centre today (June 27). This is the first event promoting the talent and professional exchanges between Hong Kong and Brunei Darussalam since the signing of the Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) between the DoJ and the Supreme Court of Brunei Darussalam on May 4 this year. The MoC aims to strengthen communication, collaboration and co-operation between the two jurisdictions on issues relating to dispute avoidance and resolution and to facilitate development of the related services. As remarked by the Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC, in the opening of the seminar, "It gives me great pleasure to welcome friends from Brunei joining this online seminar, signifying the first collaboration between the two jurisdictions under the MoC. I am most grateful to Chief Justice Chong (Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Brunei Darussalam, Dato Seri Paduka Steven Chong Wan Oon) and the Supreme Court of Brunei Darussalam for facilitating the arrangements, which is a great start to building closer ties for practitioners between Brunei and Hong Kong." Chief Justice Chong said, "The event today demonstrates how we have laid a firm foundation for future co-operation between Brunei Darussalam and Hong Kong and how we have begun to successfully materialise our shared commitment to the MoC through sharing experiences, exchanging ideas and expertise and promoting the delivery of fair, proportionate and timely justice." Brunei Darussalam is an important partner to China's Belt and Road Initiative which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year. In the area of legal and dispute resolution services, the DoJ will continue to proactively contribute to the initiative, and to further the collaboration with the Supreme Court of Brunei Darussalam. Ends/Tuesday, June 27, 2023 Issued at HKT 18:00 NNNN
SJ expresses sorrow over passing of former Chief Justice Sir Yang Ti-liang
24.6.2023

The Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC, today (June 24) was saddened by the passing of former Chief Justice Sir Yang Ti-liang, and expressed his deepest condolences to his family. Mr Lam said, "I was greatly saddened to learn that Sir Ti-liang has passed away. The news of his death was received by all in the Department of Justice with great sorrow. Sir Ti-liang was the first local Chief Justice before Hong Kong's return to the motherland. He had offered 40 years of service to the Judiciary of Hong Kong with outstanding achievements and was held in high regard in the legal sector. He had always been dedicated to public service and promoting the development of law and order and the higher education in Hong Kong, making significant contributions to upholding the rule of law and to Hong Kong." Mr Lam said that Sir Ti-liang had made profound contributions to the Hong Kong judicial sector. He would be dearly missed by the legal sector and the society. Ends/Saturday, June 24, 2023 Issued at HKT 17:02 NNNN
DoJ's Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Task Force holds second meeting to discuss work plan (with photo)
23.6.2023

Chaired by the Deputy Secretary for Justice, Mr Cheung Kwok-kwan, the Department of Justice's Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) Task Force held its second meeting today (June 23) to examine in detail various recommendations raised by the Task Force members on facilitating the interface of the legal systems and rules as well as the connection of talent in the GBA, and to implement its future work plan. During the meeting, the Task Force discussed and agreed to take forward a number of specific recommendations. The key ones include: (1) the establishment of an information platform to facilitate the easy access by the people and businesses to information on legal and dispute resolution services in the GBA and other related areas; and the setting up of a high-level platform to facilitate the conduct of regular exchanges and research on mutual legal assistance in civil and commercial matters, etc; (2) actively seeking the expansion to Mainland cities in the GBA the measures for Hong Kong-invested enterprises to choose Hong Kong law as applicable law and to choose Hong Kong as the seat of arbitration, and enhancing the promotion of the measures' advantages and benefits for the development and construction of the GBA; (3) the enhancement of the existing arrangements for mutual legal assistance in civil and commercial matters, including the improvement of the mechanism for the service of judicial documents in civil or commercial cases, so as to provide further convenience and benefits to the people and businesses; and (4) the establishment of a mediator panel for the GBA and the setting up of an online mediation platform for use in the GBA, thereby facilitating collaboration in mediation. Mr Cheung thanked the Task Force members for their valuable suggestions. He pointed out that the GBA is the only place in the world that enjoys the unique advantages of "one country, two systems and three jurisdictions", and that Hong Kong's common law system and its rule of law are widely acclaimed by international communities. Enhancing the interface of the legal systems and mutual legal assistance in civil and commercial matters in the GBA not only facilitates interactions among the people and businesses, but also provides strong legal support for the advancement of the GBA's high-quality development. He said that the Department of Justice will proactively follow up on the Task Force's recommendations and work closely together with the relevant Mainland authorities and stakeholders of the legal and other sectors, so as to take forward and implement the relevant work. The establishment of the Task Force was one of the initiatives in the 2022 Policy Address to dovetail with the national strategies to create strong impetus for growth. Led by the Deputy Secretary for Justice, the Task Force comprises representatives from the legal and business sectors, the academia and Hong Kong residents on the Mainland as well as the Department of Justice. Ends/Friday, June 23, 2023 Issued at HKT 19:09 NNNN
Application by HKSAR Government to Court for Injunction Order to prohibit four classes of acts relating to a song: publication of relevant documents
14.6.2023

The Department of Justice of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) applied to the Court of First Instance on June 5 for an injunction and interim injunction (HCA 855/2023) to prohibit four classes of acts relating to the song "Glory to Hong Kong" (or "《願榮光歸香港》"). The Court made an order (Court Order) on June 12 granting leave to the HKSAR Government to serve relevant court papers by way of substituted service. Pursuant to the Court Order, copies of the Writ of Summons, the Summons for interim injunction and the Court Order relating to the said application have been uploaded today (June 14) to the websites of the HKSAR Government, the Department of Justice and the Hong Kong Police Force. Members of the public may access the following websites or scan the QR code (attached) to download the relevant documents: • www.gov.hk/en/theme/courtorder/index5.htm • www.doj.gov.hk/en/miscellaneous/hca855.html • www.police.gov.hk/ppp_en/03_police_message/hca855.html The application for an interim injunction will be heard by the Court on July 21, 2023, at 10.30am. Anyone who opposes the application may accept service of copies of the relevant documents at the Wan Chai Division Report Room during office hours on or before June 21 upon provision of the personal particulars and upon payment of the administrative charges specified in the Court Order, and shall file and serve his/her grounds of opposition in writing within seven days after receipt of the aforesaid documents. For details, please refer to the Court Order. Ends/Wednesday, June 14, 2023 Issued at HKT 11:40 NNNN
HKSAR Government strongly opposes interference with judicial proceedings in the HKSAR by foreign politicians
8.6.2023

The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) today (June 8) strongly opposed the sending of a letter by the United States (US) Congressional-Executive Commission on China to the UK Prime Minister which interferes in judicial proceedings of the HKSAR in a court case involving Lai Chee-ying, and also vehemently condemned the US politicians' attempt to procure the imposition of so-called "sanctions" on judicial officers and prosecutors who have been discharging their duties of administration of justice independently and impartially. A spokesman for the HKSAR Government said, "The HKSAR Government strongly objects to the purely politically oriented remarks of the US politicians. Making a statement with the intent to interfere with or obstruct the course of justice, or engaging in conduct with the same intent, may even constitute the offence of criminal contempt of court or the offence of perverting the course of justice. "Pursuant to Article 63 of the Basic Law, the Department of Justice controls criminal prosecutions, free from any interference. The prosecutors act strictly in accordance with a longstanding international practice that the decision to prosecute will only take into consideration the applicable laws and the admissible evidence to justify instituting proceedings. Cases will never be handled any differently owing to the political beliefs or backgrounds of the persons involved." The spokesman stressed, "Hong Kong is a society underpinned by the rule of law and has always adhered to the principle that laws must be obeyed and lawbreakers held accountable. Hong Kong's judicial system has always been highly regarded by international communities. Article 85 of the Basic Law clearly stipulates that the the Judiciary shall exercise judicial power independently in accordance with the law, free from any interference. As guaranteed by the Basic Law and the Hong Kong Bill of Rights, everyone charged with a criminal offence has the right to a fair hearing. "Safeguarding national security falls within the internal affairs of a sovereign jurisdiction, and hence the implementation of the Hong Kong National Security Law in the HKSAR should be free from any form of interference. The US politicians' arbitrary and unreasonable bullying act has seriously violated international norms and grossly interfered in Hong Kong affairs and China's internal affairs at large. It is a blatant attempt to undermine the rule of law of Hong Kong and will only expose their own weakness and be doomed to fail." Ends/Thursday, June 8, 2023 Issued at HKT 22:49 NNNN
SJ to visit Guangzhou and Shenzhen
7.6.2023

The Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC, will lead a delegation comprising 20 representatives from the Hong Kong legal sector to depart tomorrow (June 8) for a visit to Guangzhou and Shenzhen, with a view to further promoting Hong Kong-Guangdong and Shenzhen-Hong Kong co-operation on legal matters, and contributing to the building of the rule of law in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA). This is Mr Lam's first visit to the Mainland cities in the GBA since taking office. Mr Lam and the delegation will call on the People's Government of Guangdong Province, the Guangzhou Intellectual Property Court, the Guangzhou Internet Court, the Nansha International Arbitration Centre, the First International Commercial Court of the Supreme People's Court and the Shenzhen Qianhai Cooperation Zone People's Court. Mr Lam will also meet with senior officials of the High People's Court of Guangdong Province and the Shenzhen Intermediate People's Court, and visit the headquarters of Tencent. In addition, the delegation will participate in roundtable meetings respectively with the Guangzhou Intellectual Property Court and the Shenzhen Qianhai Cooperation Zone People's Court to exchange views and explore further co-operation on important issues of mutual interest such as the latest developments in the law on intellectual property rights in the Mainland and Hong Kong, the implementation of the initiative of allowing Hong Kong enterprises to adopt Hong Kong law and the practical issues relating to the proof of Hong Kong laws in Hong Kong-related cases. Mr Lam said that the objective of this visit is to lead the representatives of the Hong Kong legal sector to see for themselves and further understand the latest developments in the Mainland legal system and the role and opportunities of the GBA as the leading area on China's path to modernisation. It is hoped that the relevant visits and thematic exchanges will create favourable conditions for the legal sector to share their practical experience with Mainland stakeholders and to jointly explore how the Hong Kong legal sector can further contribute to the high-quality development of the GBA and the country, so as to achieve mutual benefits through synergised co-operation. The deputy heads of the delegation are Mr Victor Dawes, SC, Chairman of the Hong Kong Bar Association, and Mr Chan Chak-ming, President of the Law Society of Hong Kong. Members of the delegation are composed of the Deputy Director of Intellectual Property, Mr Thomas Tsang, representatives from the Hong Kong Bar Association, the Law Society of Hong Kong, the Department of Justice and the Intellectual Property Department. Mr Lam will conclude his visit and return to Hong Kong on June 10. During Mr Lam's absence, the Deputy Secretary for Justice, Mr Cheung Kwok-kwan, will be the Acting Secretary for Justice. Ends/Wednesday, June 7, 2023 Issued at HKT 15:55 NNNN
SJ begins visit programme in Beijing (with photos)
30.5.2023

The Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC, started the first day of his visit to Beijing yesterday (May 29) and called on the Supreme People's Court, the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council and the National Supervisory Commission. He continued his visit in Beijing today (May 30) to call on the Supreme People's Procuratorate and the National Development and Reform Commission to exchange views with senior officials of the ministries and authorities on issues of mutual interest. Mr Lam and the officials in his entourage called on the Supreme People's Procuratorate in the morning to meet with the Procurator-General, Mr Ying Yong, to discuss the strengthening of legal exchanges and co-operation between Hong Kong and the Mainland, as well as the implementation of the Record of Meeting of the Supreme People's Procuratorate and the Department of Justice of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region on Exchanges and Cooperation on Legal Matters, so as to strengthen the training for the staff of both sides, and to share their work experiences. Other important issues have also been examined at the meeting. In the afternoon, Mr Lam met with Deputy Director of the National Development and Reform Commission Mr Cong Liang to discuss and exchange views on topics including advancing Hong Kong's status as a centre for international legal and dispute resolution services in the Asia-Pacific region, participating in and contributing to the country's Belt and Road Initiative work plan, and developing Hong Kong into a training base for the country's talent in the practice of foreign-related legal affairs. Yesterday morning, Mr Lam called on the Supreme People's Court and met with its President, Mr Zhang Jun, to have an in-depth discussion on topics including enhancing mutual legal assistance between the Mainland and Hong Kong, deepening the legal systems' connectivity within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and promoting the nurturing of the country's talent in the practice of foreign-related legal affairs, and to consider concrete implementation work. On the afternoon of the same day, Mr Lam visited the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council and met with its Vice Chairman Mr Weng Jieming to explore implementing measures to better utilise the advantages of Hong Kong's common law system and setting up exchange mechanisms, with a view to enabling the state-owned enterprises to have a better understanding of Hong Kong's legal system and dispute resolution services. In addition, both sides also discussed ways to contribute to the country's cultivation of a team of foreign-related legal talent. Mr Lam then met with Deputy Director of the National Supervisory Commission Mr Zhang Fuhai to explore further strengthening the legal exchange, co-operation and staff training between the two places on important issues including anti-corruption and anti-money laundering. Mr Lam will continue the third day of his visit in Beijing tomorrow. Ends/Tuesday, May 30, 2023 Issued at HKT 18:58 NNNN