Even I'm Not Above The Law, Says Carrie Lam

Chief Executive Carrie Lam insisted on Tuesday that prosecution decisions are made free from political and personal interference and nobody, herself included, is above the law.

Lam made the comments when asked by reporters about the arrests this week of eight pro-democracy figures over a chaotic Legco House Committee meeting earlier this year.

Speaking ahead of Tuesday's Executive Council meeting, Lam said she would not comment specifically on the arrests as the cases have already entered legal proceedings. But she maintained that the SAR's judiciary is independent.

"Prosecution decisions are entirely within the Department of Justice, and they will make up their mind on whether to prosecute without any interference, whether it is political interference or personal interference," she said.

Lam also said there is no law that states that legislators or anyone else are exempt from prosecution.

“Everyone is equal before the law, nobody – including the Chief Executive – is above the law. So if there is a legal provision, there is sufficient evidence to illustrate, demonstrate, that certain individuals including Legco members have breached the law – including this piece of law called the Powers and Privileges Ordinance – then there is a case to answer.”

The eight members of the pro-democracy camp, most of them serving or former lawmakers, have been charged with contempt of Legco and violating the Powers and Privileges Ordinance by obstructing Legco officials in relation to farcical scenes at a House Committee meeting on May 8.

Although members of the pro-Beijing camp also took part in scuffles and protests on the day in question, none of them have been arrested over the trouble.

Responding to Lam’s comments, Wu Chi-wai – one of the eight arrested and the convenor of the pro-democracy camp – described the Chief Executive’s comments as “ridiculous”.

“What she means is basically in front of the law everyone is equal, but some are more equal than others,” Wu said.

He said the pro-government camp has “the privilege of being excluded to a certain extent from the legal system”, since no pro-Beijing lawmakers have been arrested.