A British judge who recently resigned from Hong Kong’s top court has warned the territory is “slowly becoming a totalitarian state” with its rule of law “profoundly compromised.”
Jonathan Sumption is one of two British judges who resigned shortly after a landmark verdict in which 14 prominent democratic activists were convicted for subversion amid a national security crackdown on dissent.
Some lawyers say the resignations challenge a long-held assumption that having foreign jurists on the court of final appeal helps protect the city’s international image after China imposed a national security law on Hong Kong in 2020 in response to mass pro-democracy protests.
Explaining his eventual decision to resign from Hong Kong’s court of final appeal, Mr Sumption said Hong Kong authorities were “paranoid” about political dissent.
“Hong Kong, once a vibrant and politically diverse community is slowly becoming a totalitarian state,” Mr Sumption wrote in a rare and strongly worded opinion piece for the Financial Times on Monday.
“The rule of law is profoundly compromised in any area about which the government feels strongly.”
The national security law, which criminalises secession, subversion or terrorism with up to life in prison, has led to hundreds of arrests.
The largest national security case involved 47 pro-democracy legislators and political activities who were trialled for “subversion” and their involvement in organising an unofficial legislative council primary election to choose pro-democracy candidates in 2020.
