London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Jun 20, 2025

Second mega court for Hong Kong protest cases to have 250-person capacity

Second mega court for Hong Kong protest cases to have 250-person capacity

New courtroom at existing facility in Wan Chai to open in mid-2023, with 1,173 people charged over the 2019 unrest still to face trial.

A second mega court aimed at clearing a backlog of cases arising from the anti-government protests in Hong Kong two years ago will accommodate up to 250 people and be available for use in mid-2023.

The judiciary on Wednesday said the new space at the District Court building in Wan Chai Tower would help judges process 249 pending criminal trials, many of which were connected with the social unrest and involved a large number of defendants and lawyers.

The mega court, announced by city leader Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor in her policy address last week, can accommodate up to 50 defendants, 100 legal representatives and another 100 spectators, including family members of the accused, reporters and the public. Construction is expected to start next May.

It is expected to complement a similar space at West Kowloon Court, the only one presently in operation. That mega court can accommodate a maximum of 50 defendants, 100 legal representatives, and 50 family members and spectators.

Lam also noted in her policy blueprint that the Wan Chai mega court would be built before the new District Court building on Caroline Hill Road, Causeway Bay, began operations in 2027.

Police have charged 2,684 people over their roles in the months of protests between mid-2019 and early last year, with 1,173 of them still awaiting trial as of July 31, according to the Security Bureau.

The delay was partly due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which caused the judiciary to suspend operations twice last year.

While the city’s seven magistrates’ courts are expected to complete most protest-related trials by the end of this year, the District Court is congested with cases stemming from large-scale demonstrations during the unrest.

For instance, 213 riot suspects arrested during violent confrontations at and around Polytechnic University in November 2019 have been charged in 21 separate cases, with the last trial expected to start in October 2023.

Pro-government lawmakers have accused the justice department of dragging out prosecutions. Secretary for Justice Teresa Cheng Yeuk-wah denied the allegation in a Legislative Council panel meeting on Monday, saying the pace of trials varied depending on the complexity of cases and the defendants’ circumstances.

The judiciary has adopted measures to increase the courts’ efficiency, including scheduling hearings on Saturdays and reopening Tsuen Wan Court to handle District Court trials involving a small number of affected parties.

Hong Kong Bar Association chairman Paul Harris said in Monday’s Legco meeting that providing more courts to reduce the waiting time of trials was “very welcome and desirable”.

Hong Kong Law Society president Chan Chak-ming echoed that view, saying the steps taken by the judiciary could enhance the courts’ efficiency and due administration of justice.

“We commend the judiciary administration’s measures to cope with cases expeditiously, provided that the principle of open justice remains intact and the constitutional rights of defendants are preserved,” he said in a statement.

Legal scholar Simon Young Ngai-man, of the University of Hong Kong, said that while the judiciary had been proactive in dealing with the complexities affecting criminal case management, it should remain cautious that any measures aimed at speeding up proceedings should not be enforced at the expense of a fair trial.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
UK Home Secretary Apologizes Over Child Grooming Failures
Trump Organization Launches 5G Mobile Network and Golden Handset
Towcester Hosts 2025 English Greyhound Derby Amid Industry Scrutiny
Gary Oldman and David Beckham Knighted in King's Birthday Honours
Over 30,000 Lightning Strikes Recorded Across UK During Overnight Storms
Princess of Wales Returns to Public Duties at Trooping the Colour
Red Arrows Use Sustainable Fuel in Historic Trooping the Colour Flypast
Former Welsh First Minister Addresses Unionist Concerns Over Irish Language
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
France Bars Israeli Arms Companies from Paris Defense Expo
King Charles Leads Tribute to Air India Crash Victims at Trooping the Colour
Jack Pitchford Embarks on 200-Mile Walk to Support Stem Cell Charity
Surrey Hikers Take on Challenge of Climbing 11 Peaks in a Single Day
UK Deploys RAF Jets to Middle East Amid Israel-Iran Tensions
Two Skydivers Die in 'Tragic Accident' at Devon Airfield
Sainsbury's and Morrisons Accused of Displaying Prohibited Tobacco Ads
UK Launches National Inquiry into Grooming Gangs
Families Seek Closure After Air India Crash
Gold Emerges as Global Safe Haven Amid Uncertainty
Trump Reports $57 Million Earnings from Crypto Venture
Trump's Military Parade Sparks Concerns Over Authoritarianism
Nationwide 'No Kings' Protests Challenge Trump's Leadership
UK Deploys Jets to Middle East Amid Rising Tensions
Trump's Anti-War Stance Tested Amid Israel-Iran Conflict
Germany Holds First Veterans Celebration Since WWII
U.S. Health Secretary Dismisses CDC Vaccine Advisory Committee
Minnesota Lawmaker Melissa Hortman and Husband Killed in Targeted Attack; Senator John Hoffman and Wife Injured
Exiled Iranian Prince Reza Pahlavi Urges Overthrow of Khamenei Regime
×