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Wednesday, April 24, 2019, 00:33
Sentencing is a gauge for rule of law
By Staff Writer
Wednesday, April 24, 2019, 00:33 By Staff Writer

Today’s (Wednesday) much-awaited sentencing of the nine ringleaders of the “Occupy Central” movement will most probably be the focus of public attention. There’s every reason for those who care for Hong Kong to hold their breath for the court’s decision. After all, at stake is one of Hong Kong’s much cherished core values — the rule of law. 

Since the gestation of the “Occupy” campaign, the notion of “achieving justice by breaking the law” — floated and promoted by local political radicals — has gained traction among the city’s idealistic youths. 

As a result, the illegal “Occupy” protests erupted in the fall of 2014, paralyzing several main thoroughfares in the city’s major business districts for more than two months. Apart from causing serious injuries to many people, including at least 130 police officers, and significant social disruption, the 79-day demonstrations led to huge disruptions to the city’s business life, racking up economic losses of up to HK$350 billion ($45 billion), as estimated by economics professor Francis Lui of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.

The movement’s pernicious influence and the fallacious idea of “achieving justice by breaking the law” promoted by its leaders have taken root in the minds of many idealistic, yet impulsive young people, as evidenced by the reckless and violent behavior of those who took part in the Mong Kok riot on Lunar New Year’s Day in 2016.

Instead of helping the misguided young people rebuild their respect for the law and their belief in the rule of law by showing remorse for inflicting damage on Hong Kong’s rule of law, the “Occupy” leaders pleaded not guilty and fought the charges rigorously. And, many members of the opposition camp have been campaigning, in cahoots with their overseas supporters, such as former Hong Kong governor Chris Patten, to exert pressure on the court.

The sentencing of the “Occupy” leaders will be an effective indicator for gauging the robustness of Hong Kong’s rule of law after all the challenges in the past few years. It will also tell whether politics has overridden the spirit of rule of law, infringing on judicial independence. Hong Kong people have every reason to be confident that the court won’t let them down. After all, the city’s courts are manned by a team of legal professionals who treasure judicial independence as much as their lives.

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