US report an affront to HK's rule of law: govt
The government on Friday said it strongly condemns and firmly rejects a recent report by a US congressional advisory group, which it said made slandering remarks and despicable threats against Hong Kong judges.  The report by the United States Congressional-Executive Commission on China had urged Washington to consider imposing sanctions on Hong Kong judges presiding over national security cases, saying their role had weakened the city’s rule of law and independent judiciary.  "The threat is a shameless, sinister and malicious attempt to put spiteful pressure on judges in the HKSAR, to interfere with the judicial process in the HKSAR, and to undermine the system for the administration of justice in the HKSAR," a government spokesman said in a statement.  "This attempt has clearly exposed the hypocrisy and double standard of the US politicians concerned, who claim to uphold the rule of law but have, in practice, seriously damaged it with political manipulation put above the law. It is a serious violation of the basic principle of international law and international relations." The spokesperson also accused US politicians of "exploiting different incidents and occasions, as well as creating excuses, to attack the SAR’s dutiful, faithful and lawful implementation of the national security law". He stressed the Judiciary is committed to upholding the rule of law and judicial independence, adding that all judges and judicial officers will administer justice without fear or favour, self-interest or deceit. Separately, the Judiciary also condemned the report, calling it a “flagrant and direct affront” to the rule of law and judicial independence in Hong Kong.  It said attempts to exert improper pressure on local judges and judicial officers are totally unacceptable.