Two British judges have resigned from Hong Kong’s top court, about a week after a landmark ruling convicting 14 renowned democracy advocates of subversion, as part of a national security crackdown on dissent in the territory.
The Hong Kong judiciary announced that two distinguished British justices, Lawrence Collins and Jonathan Sumption, had resigned from the Court of Final Appeal (CFA), where they served as non-permanent judges.
The presence of prominent foreign jurists on Hong Kong’s highest court has long been regarded as a symbol of the rule of law that underlies the territory’s international reputation.
Hong Kong Chief Justice Andrew Cheung expressed regret over the resignations.
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Cheung stated that the top court now comprises four local non-permanent judges and eight non-permanent judges from different common law countries, including two international justices appointed last year and last month.
David Neuberger, one of the three remaining British judges, said he couldn’t comment on the resignations but planned to stay on as a non-permanent judge in Hong Kong.
The Hong Kong Bar Association on Friday said it “strongly believes that their resignations will not affect the ability of our apex court in discharging its judicial functions.”
It also expressed “every confidence” in the independence of Hong Kong’s judicial system.
The resignations swell the number of British jurists who have severed ties to Hong Kong’s highest court amid a years-long crackdown on dissent under a China-imposed national security law in 2020 following mass pro-democracy protests.
