Hong Kong’s courts have resolved over 96 percent of cases tied to the 2019 anti-extradition protests, and completed 86 percent of 230 national security cases, and expect to ease the waiting time of the judicial process across all court levels.

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Judiciary will continue to prioritize cases related to the 2019 social unrest and proceedings concerning national security, according to Judiciary Administrator Esther Leung Yuet-yin, who was speaking at the city’s legislature on Monday.

According to Leung, among more than 2,350 anti-extradition bill cases submitted for trial, approximately 2,260 cases have been concluded, representing about 96 percent.

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In 2019, incessant illegal protests broke out when the government proposed introducing an amendment to the extradition bill. It led to the paralysis of the city’s major traffic thoroughfares and vandalism of public property and private entities, resulting in the arrest of 10,279 people as of March 2024. Among them, 2,961 have been charged with crimes including rioting, unlawful assembly and possession of offensive weapons, among others.  

Meanwhile, more than 200 of the 230 cases related to national security, have also been concluded, accounting for around 86 percent.

In spite of several complex and lengthy cases which remain pending in court, Leung said, the average waiting time for legal proceedings across all court levels should see a steady improvement in future after the recruitment of additional judicial personnel and the implementation of various measures.

Leung said that the draft budget estimates of 2025-26 for the Judiciary amounts to HK$2,806.2 million ($361.3 million), marking an increase of 6.5 percent over the revised estimates for the previous year. This rise is primarily intended to fill existing vacancies in judicial positions and to employ temporary judicial staff.

The establishment of judicial posts currently stands at 211 while the number of serving judges and judicial officers is 160. The recruitment process for district judges and permanent magistrates is set to begin later this year.

The Department of Justice plans to establish 10 positions for the application of technology in operational needs of the courts.

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Starting from April, the Judiciary has launched a pilot scheme for the live broadcasting of substantive appellate proceedings in the Court of Final Appeal for a period of two years, with the first case has been broadcast on Monday.

Secretary for Justice Paul Lam Ting-kwok said that the department will make every effort to enhance Hong Kong’s status as a leading center for international legal and dispute resolution services in the Asia-Pacific region, as well as improving the training of foreign-related legal talents and the legal infrastructure of the Guangdong- Hong Kong Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA).

The Judiciary will continue to monitor the manpower situation and engage deputy judges and judicial officers to meet operational needs, as far as practicable, Leung added.

Contact the writer at atlasshao@chinadailyhk.com