Lin Dingguo, director of the Hong Kong Department of Justice, believes that overseas lawyers participating in national security cases should not occur in essence.
Lin Dingguo was asked on Saturday (April 8th) on a cable TV program in Hong Kong that through this statement, whether Hong Kong would not be approved that overseas lawyers would go to Hong Kong to participate.Lin Dingguo replied: "I don't think not to be tangled in text. Basic principles, generally speaking, we think it is not suitable, but it is not absolutely prohibited, so there are exceptions, which also explains what is the exception.The applicant persuades the Chief Executive. "
The Department of Justice hopes to pass the amendment of the legal practitioners' regulations in the first half of this year to regulate overseas lawyers in Hong Kong to handle cases involving national security.According to the amendment, overseas lawyers must first obtain a permission notice issued by the Chief Executive to submit a formal application to the court, and then issue a certificate by the Chief Executive to participate in cases involving national security.
Lin Dingguo also said that during the approval process, the Chief Executive can consult the Department of Justice and the National Security Commission. If the application of overseas lawyers is rejected, the Hong Kong side will not explain the reason.
He said: "When talking about national security, it must be relatively sensitive, and it will also affect the affairs of opening the mind. It is not suitable for public discussions.It is not conducive to Guoan, and it is not conducive to national security, and it may be disclosed that it is not conducive to national security. "
