Albert Chen Bowed To Public Pressure: Ronny Tong

Executive council member Ronny Tong has questioned whether pro-Beijing legal scholar Albert Chen had succumbed to public pressure by suggesting that local officials should consider retaining the right to refuse to hand Hong Kongers over to the mainland for trial.

In an online commentary, University of Hong Kong legal expert Albert Chen said if the extradition law amendments are approved, what's meant to be an ad-hoc, case by case arrangement may become a regular practice, as the chief executive was unlikely to refuse extradition requests from the central authorities.

Chen added that “Hong Kong courts will be placed in a difficult and invidious position”, as judges would have to decide whether the mainland’s legal system complied with human rights standards before granting extradition requests.

He called on the government to seriously consider trying residents locally for crimes committed across the border, and include more restrictions and safeguards in the bill.

For example, he said case-by-case extraditions should be limited to “the most heinous crimes”. He also wants the amendment to apply only in cases that happen after the bill is passed, not retroactively.

Chen is considered a firmly pro-Beijing scholar, and sits on the Basic Law Committee, which advises the central government on Hong Kong's mini-constitution.

But Ronny Tong dismissed his suggestion and accused Professor Chen of bowing to public pressure.

Writing on his Facebook page, the executive councillor said trying people in Hong Kong for crimes they’ve committed on the mainland would give rise to “insurmountable difficulties” due to limitations in, for example, calling witnesses or gathering evidence.

Tong, a senior counsel and former pan-democratic lawmaker, also questioned why the HKU legal professor would be concerned about local judges' ability to handle extradition requests, when he clearly believes that they are fully competent to conduct fair trials.