Law Society Condemns Death Threat Against Magistrate

The Law Society on Monday strongly condemned the death threat made against the Chief Magistrate and his family last week, calling such acts of intimidation not only a serious criminal offence but an "abhorrent threat to judicial independence and the rule of law".

Chief Magistrate Victor So reportedly received the death threat on Thursday, shortly after he denied bail to the media tycoon Jimmy Lai in a fraud case.

So is also one of six magistrates hand-picked by Chief Executive Carrie Lam to handle national security cases.

"The impartial administration of justice without fear or favour by our judges and judicial officers in strict compliance with their Judicial Oath has brought about high public confidence," a statement by the city's professional body for solicitors said. "Such confidence will not be shaken by any malicious intimidation attempt to pressurise and influence them in the decision-making process."

The Law Society urged authorities to thoroughly investigate and bring the culprits to justice as quickly as possible, in order to protect judges and judicial officers and to uphold judicial independence and the rule of law.

The call echoed an earlier statement from the Bar Association, which condemned the death threat as a "most serious assault on judicial independence".

The government has also said it would not tolerate such violent and illegal acts, and police were trying to apprehend anyone behind the case as soon as possible.