Hong Kong condemns US sanctions bill targeting judges and prosecutors

Hong Kong authorities have slammed a new US bipartisan bill that seeks to slap sanctions on more city officials, including judges and prosecutors, accusing American lawmakers of attempting to intimidate those safeguarding national security.

The Hong Kong Sanctions Act was introduced by Congresswoman Young Kim and Congressman Jim McGovern on Friday, just days after Donald Trump’s return to the White House.

The bill requires the president to assess whether to sanction certain Hong Kong officials who are deemed to have violated human rights.

Among the 48 people listed in the bill were Secretary for Justice Paul Lam Ting-kwok, Chief Justice Andrew Cheung Kui-nung, Secretary General of the Committee for Safeguarding National Security Sonny Au Chi-kwong and Commissioner of Police Raymond Siu Chak-yee. These officials had not been sanctioned previously.

It also included judges and magistrates. Among them were Joseph Fok, Patrick Chan Siu-oi and Frank Stock of the Court of Final Appeal, Esther Toh Lye-ping, Alex Lee Wan-tang and Amanda Woodcock of the High Court and Chief Magistrate Victor So Wai-tak.

Among the public prosecutors on the list were Director of Public Prosecutions Maggie Yang Mei-kei and her deputy, Anthony Chau Tin-hang.

Kim, chairman of the US House’s Foreign Affairs East and Pacific subcommittee, said the bill was introduced to “hold Hong Kong officials accountable for human rights violations and stand with Hongkongers facing persecution under Beijing’s national security law”.