Free China

Event date: September 1, 2026

News Summary

The Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation said on September 1 that Lord David Neuberger should resign as a non-permanent judge of Hong Kong’s Court of Final Appeal, arguing that continued overseas judicial participation is increasingly difficult to reconcile with national-security prosecutions of pro-democracy figures. The organization’s descriptions of persecution and legal legitimacy are advocacy claims and remain attributed to CFHK. Hong Kong’s Judiciary independently lists Neuberger as a current non-permanent CFA judge.

Why It Matters

The campaign highlights a continuing debate over whether overseas common-law judges can still strengthen judicial independence in Hong Kong or whether their participation risks conferring legitimacy on a legal system facing sustained criticism over political cases.

Free China Editorial / Analysis

Overseas judges should explain publicly how they assess judicial independence and the limits of their role. Continued participation should be measured by whether it meaningfully protects due process and the rule of law, not by institutional prestige alone. Criticism should focus on institutional responsibility and legal principle rather than personal attack.

Sources

Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation · Hong Kong Judiciary.

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