UK Judges Quit From HK's Final Appeal Court Over Beijing's Meddling

Two UK Supreme Court judges resigned from Hong Kong's Court of Final Appeal (CFA) on Wednesday, citing a recent crackdown on dissent under a draconian national security law imposed on the city by Beijing, Lee Luk Yue, and Lu Xi reported for GlobalSecurity.com.

Photo Insert: Hong Kong's Court of Final Appeal

Non-permanent CFA judges Lord Reed and Lord Hodge had sat on the court "for many years" under an agreement governing the 1997 handover of Hong Kong to Chinese rule, Reed said in a statement.

"I have been closely monitoring and assessing developments in Hong Kong, in discussion with the government," Reed wrote. "However, since the introduction of the Hong Kong national security law in 2020, this position has become increasingly finely balanced."

"The judges of the Supreme Court cannot continue to sit in Hong Kong without appearing to endorse an administration which has departed from values of political freedom, and freedom of expression, to which the Justices of the Supreme Court are deeply committed," the statement said.

The resignations came as internet service providers in Hong Kong blocked a 30-minute documentary by Vice News on YouTube detailing the involvement of triad criminal gangs in bloody attacks on passengers at the Yuen Long MTR station on July 21, 2019, amid a mass protest movement sparked by plans to allow the extradition of alleged criminal suspects to face trial in mainland China.

The documentary explored in-depth the attacks by men wielding sticks and wearing white clothing.

UK foreign secretary Liz Truss said the government supported the decision. "The Foreign Secretary supports the withdrawal of serving UK judges from the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal, following discussions with the Deputy Prime Minister and Lord Chancellor and the President of the Supreme Court," said in a brief statement, which was signed by Truss and deputy prime minister Dominic Raab.

Ruling Conservative Party rights activist Benedict Rogers, who heads the UK-based rights group Hong Kong Watch, said the move was the correct one.

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