Legal Tales | We must all speak up to defend judicial independence from any interference

It is unacceptable in any civilised society governed by the rule of law to seek to pressurise judges to reach a particular decision or to resign

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In Hong Kong, the rule of law and judicial independence are values which are cherished by lawyers and non-lawyers alike. Photo: Sam Tsang

Published: 9:30am, 17 Apr 2025

I have just returned from the Commonwealth Lawyers Association (CLA) conference in Malta, which was my first overseas trip since assuming the chairmanship of the Hong Kong Bar Association.

The CLA, which is governed by a council drawn from some of the most senior legal professionals in the Commonwealth, was one of many that spoke out clearly and strongly about sanctions imposed by the US government against the International Criminal Court.

It noted that Principle IV of the Commonwealth (Latimer House) Principles states that “an independent, impartial, honest and competent judiciary is integral to upholding the rule of law, engendering public confidence and dispensing justice”.

Other legal organisations, including the International Bar Association (IBA), have also spoken up in similar terms. The IBA’s membership is comprised of more than 80,000 lawyers from most of the world’s leading law firms and 190 bar associations and law societies spanning more than 170 countries.

This principle is important not only to lawyers but also to the public at large. In Hong Kong, the rule of law and judicial independence are values which are cherished by lawyers and non-lawyers alike.

We are accustomed to the fact that everyone is equal before the law.