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Friday, August 18, 2017, 14:38
Community leaders hail latest court ruling
By Luis Liu
Friday, August 18, 2017, 14:38 By Luis Liu

This undated photo shows Stanley Ng Chau-pei, chairman of the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions and a Hong Kong deputy to National People's Congress, poses for a photo. (PARKER ZHANG / CHINA DAILY)

HONG KONG - Leaders in Hong Kong society felt relieved that the rule of law has been reasserted in the city. They hope the sentences given to the three student activists will make it clear to Hong Kong people that people must not break the law.

No matter how justifiable one’s ideal could be, one must not realize it by illegal means

Stanley Ng Chau-pei, chairman, Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions 

Executive Council member Senior Counsel Ronny Tong Ka-wah said the reviewed sentence was appropriate. This was because the trio, although not using violence, triggered large-scale unrest and put other people in danger. 

He felt sorry for the three young people but said the Department of Justice (DoJ) had the responsibility to guarantee laws are enforced in a fair, just manner. No one should be allowed to escape a reasonable sentence.

Chairwoman of the city’s biggest political party – the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB) – Starry Lee Wai-king thought the reviewed sentence was appropriate. She said the sentence sent a clear message to society.

Some people may have a wrong perception that one can do anything, even violent acts, in pursuit of an ideal or purpose.This is hazardous for society, Lee observed, the sentence would reassert the rule of law - one of the core values of Hong Kong people.

Echoing her was union leader Stanley Ng Chau-pei, chairman of the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions and a Hong Kong deputy to National People’s Congress. Ng welcomed the sentence as the previous ones were incompatible with their deeds. “The sentence has restored the rule of law,” Ng said.

“No matter how justifiable one’s ideal could be, one must not realize it by illegal means,” Ng added.

However, some opposition leaders behind many illegal social movements were still free from legal punishment, Ng stressed. He hoped the law-enforcement officers and judicial institutions could bring them to justice.

Veteran political analyst and Basic Law researcher Song Sio-chong observed that the corrective decision should be attributed to both the Court of Appeal and DoJ. The court had mended a mistake of a lower court. This shows Hong Kong’s judiciary is capable of correcting errors within its own system, Song said. 

This can help address mistrust in the special administrative region’s judicial institutions that had appeared in recent years after some Hong Kong people felt a number of political activists were lightly punished, Song added.

Meanwhile, he said the DoJ had done its job of protecting justice, adding that in the past the authority seemed to be reluctant to challenge the court rulings when they were not proportionate with the offenses.

Song said the case is a symbolic one since the trio were leading figures in a number of illegal social movements. It will be a reminder to the young people when they make judgments and decisions.

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