News Archive
VIDEO Sexual Orientation Anti-Discrimination Forum
On 27 April, CCPL hosted a forum on Sexual Orientation Anti-Discrimination. If you missed out on any of the four informative panels, you can watch them here:
Part 1:http://fmis1.hku.hk/vod/vs18000/27042013/P1.html
Part 4:http://fmis1.hku.hk/vod/vs18000/27042013/P4.html
CCPL launches the Human Rights Portal: ssssss www.law.hku.hk/hrportal
With the enactment of the Hong Kong Bill of Rights Ordinance in June 1991, there is now over two decades of human rights law in Hong Kong. Yet there are few websites available dedicated to providing free legal information or academic research about human rights in Hong Kong. The Centre for Comparative and Public Law (CCPL) in the Faculty of Law at The University of Hong Kong will launch a new website specifically designed to highlight the expertise and important contributions of the Faculty in human rights issues, both locally and internationally.
With the enactment of the Hong Kong Bill of Rights Ordinance in June 1991, there is now over two decades of human rights law in Hong Kong. Yet there are few websites available dedicated to providing free legal information or academic research about human rights in Hong Kong. The Centre for Comparative and Public Law (CCPL) in the Faculty of Law at The University of Hong Kong will launch a new website specifically designed to highlight the expertise and important contributions of the Faculty in human rights issues, both locally and internationally.
The Human Rights Portal website was launched on Monday, 15 October 2012. The CCPL Human Rights Portal is a virtual centre which creates and distributes human rights resources - articles, documents, videos, guides, manuals and links - in English , Traditional and Simplified Chinese.
Human Rights Portal: www.law.hku.hk/hrportal
Press release: English
Press release: Traditional Chinese
Full press release: English
Hong Kong Human Rights Action Plan
How would you rate Hong Kong's human rights record? In what areas are we lacking? Did you know that there are eight United Nations (UN) bodies reviewing Hong Kong's record in relation to women, children, civil and political rights, economic, social and cultural rights, labour, disability, racial discrimination, torture and other forms of ill-treatment? What have these bodies said about Hong Kong? Can Hong Kong do better?
CCPL's Hong Kong Human Rights Action Plan consists of all of the current recommendations to Hong Kong from UN human rights bodies. There are 145 recommendations dating back to 2005. While some of these recommendations have already been addressed, many still require attention and effective measures that come from better policy-making and new thinking. The Action Plan highlights those human rights areas where Hong Kong is weak.
The Human Rights Action Plan is a new initiative from CCPL that aims to promote public discussion of human rights in Hong Kong and better compliance with international human rights standards.
VIDEO: Legal Measures to Address Mainland Mothers in Hong Kong
Panel 1, Part I: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzIAdqRH47o
Panel 1, Part II: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frXho4-KbXc
Panel 1, Part III: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGxsZjYRz3s
Panel 1, Part IV: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dbYtxcoi_w
Panel 1, Part V: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VP3gj4HEFp4
Panel 2, Part I: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58SjIvQ6HHY
Panel 2, Part II: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibH9Rs5CQoc
Panel 2, Part III: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89dwfLDfwFY
Judical review cases in sharp decline
CCPL Deputy Director Benny Tai was interviewed by the South China Morning Post on the remarkable drop in the number of applications for permission to lodge a judicial review last year. The article, which appears in the July 19, 2012 issue of the paper, notes that the number of such applications dropped from a fifth from a peak figure of 149 cases in 2005. Professor Tai cited the decision of the Court of Final Appeal in 2007 to raise the bar for such applications from the requirement of a potentially arguable case to a reasonably arguable case as one of the reasons behind the drop. The number of applications has remained relatively stable since the record number of reviews launched in 2005, until last year, when the number dropped to 110. Professor Tai pointed out that despite the recent drop, the court is still dealing with nearly four times the caseload as in 1988, when just 29 people applied.
The full text of this article can be accessed by registered users through the South China Morning Post website.
Legal Consensus Supreme Executive Supine Jurisprudence Suppliant Profession
of Singapore
The Centre for Comparative and Public Law has recently published an important book on the Singapore legal system and legal profession, entitled Legal Consensus: Supreme Executive, Subordinate Judiciary and Silenced Profession of Singapore. The book provides learned and critical commentary on the Singapore legal system and legal profession.
About the Author
Tsun Hang Tey is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Law, National University of Singapore. He was previously a Law Clerk to the former Chief Justice of Singapore, a District Judge of the Subordinate Courts, and a State Counsel at the Legislation Division of the Attorney-General’s Chambers of Singapore. He was a member of the editorial committees of the Singapore Journal of Legal Studies and the Singapore Journal of International and Comparative Law, and the Executive Committee of the Centre for Commercial Law Studies. Until 2008, he was the Deputy Chief Editor of Singapore Year Book of International Law. He is now the Director of Centre for Commercial Law Studies and the Editor of the Asian Journal of Comparative Law.
CCPL Rights Bulletin Vol 2, Issue 2
In Volume 2, Issue 2, the research team covers, among other Hong Kong cases, recent jurisprudence on the application of Customary International Law in Hong Kong, the right to review the decision of the Director of Legal Aid and the lawfulness of the Director of Immigration’s refusal to issue an extension of permission to remain in Hong Kong for potential or existing CAT claimants. Two CAT Committee decisions are summarised, as well as an important ECHR case on the general principles of deportation.
Arrangements for Filling Vacancies in the Legislative Council
On 20 September 2011, CCPL submitted a brief to the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau on the arrangements for filling vacancies in the Legislative Council. The submission discusses the inherent weaknesses of the four options suggested by the consultation paper and offers a 'fifth option' for reform; a replacement mechanism similar to the British model of filling in casual vacancies in the European Parliament.
ONC - CCPL Conference on Law Reform
At the initiative and generous sponsorship of ONC Lawyers, CCPL and ONC Lawyers are collaborating to organise a series of conferences on the process of reform in Hong Kong. The first conference in the series will be held on September 17, 2011, and will invite eminent international experts, to explore and discuss issues centering around Hong Kong’s law reform process, in particular:
- How is HK's law reform mechanism serving us?
- Do we need any change to our law reform machinery?
- Are there any lessons we could learn from England and other Commonwealth countries?
- What should the Government do to make our law reform mechanism serve our social and economic developmental needs?
CCPL Director Simon Young and Deputy Director Kelley Loper have both published columns in the SCMP recently. Professor Young wrote on the recent ruling on state immunity law by the Court of Final Appeal in the FCC Hemispheres case. In Open to Abuse, he discusses how the decision sends a message that the city can provide a haven for corrupt leaders.
Kelley Loper's column, Beware Racial Segregation in Hong Kong Schools, meanwhile urges the government to review education policy to ensure equal opportunities for all. Both columns can be viewed through the South China Morning Post homepage.
In the coming months, CCPL will welcome numerous international scholars as Visiting Fellows. Research conducted by Visiting Fellows represents a range of areas in the fields of public and comparative law, including interntional law, constitutional law, human rights law, comparative private law, Chinese law and equality law. Their role during their time at the Centre is to further their individual research projects, interact with the local academic community and give public talks on their findings.
CCPL Law Quiz on RTHK Radio 3: May 2011
CCPL Director Simon Young co-produced the May 31 episode of Backchat on RTHK Radio 3. The panel of guests included Danny Gittings, Russel Coleman, David Webb and Dr. Mikel Mong. Click on the link above to see the Law Quiz the panelists participated in and test your knowledge of Hong Kong's legal system.
CCPL Rights Bulletin Vol 2 Issue 1: March 2011
Once again our team of student volunteers has come together to summarise the latest human rights jurisrpudence of note to Hong Kong practitioners.
Review of Hong Kong's Animal Welfare Legislation Released: June 2010
CCPL Fellow Professor Amanda Whitfort and Deputy Director of Welfare, SPCA (HK), Dr Fiona Woodhouse have released a full review of Hong Kong’s animal welfare legislation. The research was conducted through the Law Faculty’s Centre for Comparative and Public Law and took two years to complete.
CCPL Fellow Professor Holning Lau has conducted the first-ever peer-reviewed study on sexual orientation discrimination in Hong Kong’s workforce.
Submission to LegCo Panel on Public Service
CCPL Deputy Director Kelley Loper has recently made a submission to the LegCo panel on Public Service.