Courts handle appeals with integrity: CJ
Chief Justice Andrew Cheung said on Tuesday that the judiciary is firmly committed to protecting people's fundamental rights and safeguarding national security, adding that he is confident the courts handle appeals with integrity and professionalism. Cheung's statement came in response to an opinion piece by Lord Jonathan Sumption, who resigned as a non-permanent judge of the Court of Final Appeal last week. Lord Sumption had said in an article published in the Financial Times that the rule of law in Hong Kong was "profoundly compromised in any area about which the government feels strongly".  In a statement, Cheung said that finding the right balance between protecting people's rights and ensuring national security can be challenging and controversial.  "As in other jurisdictions, a tension often exists between protection of fundamental rights and safeguarding national security, both of which the Hong Kong Judiciary is firmly committed to doing," he said. "Striking the right balance in individual cases can be difficult and outcomes controversial at times. It is one thing to disagree with a court's decision, but it is quite another to suggest that fundamental rights have been compromised because of political concerns." Cheung also said that while everyone has the right to express their views, public opinions potentially put pressure on or interfere with the courts' administration of justice, and should therefore be expressed with caution.  He said that all judges are obliged to make impartial and independent decisions based on the law and evidence, as stated in their judicial oath.  "Any suggestion that their decisions have been or may be influenced by extraneous considerations, political or otherwise, is a serious allegation that must be duly substantiated and should not be lightly made," he said.