Intimidation against judges intolerable
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In response to the criminal intimidation against a judge, the Department of Justice issued the following statement today (May 28):
In exercising judicial power, a judge is required to handle cases strictly in accordance with the law and evidence. Article 85 of the Basic Law stipulates that the courts of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) shall exercise judicial power independently, free from any interference. A judge in performing judicial duties has received intimidation. The HKSAR Government will take resolute actions and will not tolerate such illegal acts which disregard the law and undermine the rule of law. Police are actively following up on the case in order to apprehend the culprit.
Under section 24 of the Crimes Ordinance, anyone who threatens any other person with injury to him/ her shall be guilty and liable on conviction upon indictment to imprisonment for five years. Members of the public are urged not to break the law.