CE Picks Six Magistrates To Hear Security Cases

The Chief Executive has designated six magistrates to hear cases under the new national security law.

In a statement, the government says Carrie Lam made her choices after consulting the Committee for Safeguarding National Security as well as the chief justice. Lam chairs the committee, while the director of her office, Eric Chan, is its secretary-general.

The identities of the "designated judges" have not been made public.

Critics have slammed a stipulation in the sweeping new law which gives the Chief Executive the power to come up with a list of judges to handle future cases, saying it would undermine the independence of the judiciary.

In a rare statement issued on Thursday, Chief Justice Geoffrey Ma had stressed that judges should only be appointed on the basis of judicial and professional qualities, and not politics.

He added that the listing and handling of cases will be determined by the court leader, saying these are matters solely for the judiciary and the operation of the courts must be subjected to the requirements of the Basic Law.