【双学判囚】12国际律师联署信　关注港法治受严重威胁

“双学三子”在律政司提出覆核刑期下，于今年8月因2014年冲撃公民广场案，被上诉庭改判入狱6至8个月，外界质疑涉政治检控。12名来自世界各地的资深律师就此发表公开信，关注有关判刑代表法治精神受严重威胁，以及违反香港“双重定罪”的法律原则。

12名来自英国、美国、加拿大、南非及马来西亚的资深律师发表公开信，关注黄之锋、罗冠聪及周永康三人被覆核刑期而判囚的案件，他们指“一国两制”中核心的法治精神及基本自由正受严重威胁，又批评《公安条例》违反“公民及政治权利国际公约”，以及警诫2014年中国白皮书，威胁香港司法独立，担心会成为任由中国共产党使唤的借口。

他们又引述前终审法庭法官包致金所言，指香港法官想保卫司法独立，但他们面对来自北京的压力愈来愈多。

联署的律师包括英国前大法官兼司法大臣、6名英皇御用大律师联署，包括英国大律师公会人权委员会主席 QC Kirsty Brimelow、亦有曾代表昂山素季、已故中国诺贝尔和平奖得主刘晓波及其妻子刘霞的美国律师。

律政司回应指,由于黄之锋等刑期覆核案仍在等候上诉，不宜就个别范畴作评论，但对有关人士对香港法律制度存在误解感到遗憾，并重申是依照法律程序提出覆核，上诉庭亦指案件涉及暴力而作出量刑，认为联署信对香港司法独立的批评，完全没有根据。

联署信全文：

As lawyers, we regard the imprisonment of Joshua Wong, Alex Chow and Nathan Law in Hong Kong as a serious threat to the rule of law and a breach of the principle of “double jeopardy” in Hong Kong – in violation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

These student activists led the Umbrella Movement in Hong Kong in 2014 – one of the most peaceful public protests the world has seen. Joshua Wong, Nathan Law and Alex Chow were already punished by a court a year ago. Joshua and Nathan respectively served 80 and 120 hours of community service, and Alex received a three-week suspended sentence. Yet the Hong Kong government decided to reopen the case and sought tougher punishments.

The law under which they were charged, the Public Order Ordinance, has been criticized by the United Nations for “facilitat[ing] excessive restrictions” to basic rights, and is incompatible with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which applies to Hong Kong. Human rights organisations have long urged Hong Kong to revise the ordinance to comply with the ICCPR.

Serious concerns over the independence of the judiciary arise. Court of Final Appeal judge Kemal Bokhary warned of “storm clouds” over the judiciary five years ago. Hong Kong’s judges want to protect its independence, but they face increasing pressure from Beijing. In 2014, China issued a White Paper declaring that Beijing has “comprehensive jurisdiction over Hong Kong” – instead of “the high degree of autonomy” provided for in the Sino-British Joint Declaration and the Basic Law, Hong Kong’s constitution. China also announced that Hong Kong’s judges are merely “administrators” who must love the country and be "subject to oversight by the central government”. The independence of the judiciary, a pillar of Hong Kong, risks becoming a charade, at the beck and call of the Chinese Communist Party.

Hong Kong’s rule of law and basic freedoms, at the heart of the principle of “one country, two systems”, now face grave threats.

Kirsty Brimelow QC

Patrick Burgess Australia – former head of human rights in the UN in East Timor and President of Asia Justice and Rights (AJAR).

Lord Carlile of Berriew CBE QC

Sir Desmond De Silva QC

Lord Falconer of Thoroton QC – former Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice

Jared Genser – Freedom Now

Justice Richard Goldstone (South Africa)

Andrew Khoo (Malaysia)

David Matas (Canada)

Michael Mansfield QC

Rajiv Menon QC

Sir Geoffrey Nice QC – former chief prosecutor in the trial of Slobodan Milosevic