Australian judge James Spigelman resigns from Hong Kong appeals court over security law

Australian judge James Spigelman resigned from the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal on Friday, September 18 over the national security law imposed on the region by Beijing. According to reports, the Hong Kong government decree read, “It is hereby notified that, ... the Chief Executive the Honourable Mrs. Carrie Lam ... has revoked the appointment of The Honourable Mr. Justice James Spigelman as a Judge from another common law jurisdiction of the Court of Final Appeal ... with effect from 2 September 2020”. Spigelman had served in the court since 2013 and his current term was to expire in 2022. 

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Bejing's Security Law

Spigelman told the Australian ABC broadcaster that he had resigned for reasons "related to the content of the national security legislation”. Hong Kong has been a bastion of press freedom within Chinese territories due to its autonomous status granted under the Sino-British joint declaration.

However, the controversial law has been used to arrest several pro-democracy activists, including Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai who was later released after international outrage.

Meanwhile, United Nations special rapporteurs on human rights have warned that China’s national security law for Hong Kong breached international obligations and violated human rights. In an open joint letter UN dispatched to China, it said that the controversial national security law in Hong Kong posed a serious risk to fundamental rights and clamped the right to freedom of expression in the Special Administrative Region (SAR).

As per reports, the special rapporteurs have recommended a review and reconsideration of the legislation to ensure that the law is in compliance with China’s international human rights obligations with respect to Hong Kong.

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(Image Credits: Representative/AP)