HK Violence Shows Need For Education: Teresa Cheng

Justice Secretary Teresa Cheng said on Friday that a growing tide of violence and "rioting" in Hong Kong has demonstrated a need to better educate Hong Kong residents on the city's laws.

Cheng said the Justice Department would use this year's "Prosecution Week" to make sure people are aware of the trouble they can get into if they go too far at protests.

"In view of the recent rise in cases involving violence in public processions and the like, some of which turned into riots, it is right that this department should be doing more to better inform the public about the nature of criminal law, the legal system and indeed the legal consequences if the law is breached," she said.

Cheng did not elaborate on which recent violent acts and "riots" she had in mind.

Speaking at a ceremony to mark the opening of "Prosecution Week", the justice minister also stressed the importance of independent prosecutors when it comes to the administration of justice.

The Director of Public Prosecutions, David Leung, added that public prosecutors make decisions on whether to prosecute in a fair and impartial manner, and political and individual interests are of no concern to them.

Leung said he hope this fact would "ease the minds of many who previously had concerns about the independence and integrity of the prosecution, especially in recent cases of substantial political and media attention."

Pro-democracy figures recently questioned the six-year jail term handed down to prominent localist Edward Leung for his part in the 2016 Mong Kok riot, saying the punishment was too harsh and the court ruling would deter young people from getting involved in politics.