Judge in Hong Kong Obstruction Trial Refuses to Step Down Despite Apparent Bias

HONG KONG, August 3, 2002 (Falun Dafa Information Centre) — Citing a clear bias towards the prosecution and “an apparent hostility” towards the defense, barrister Paul Harris officially requested the presiding magistrate to step down in the case involving 16 Falun Gong appellants arrested by police outside Hong Kong’s Chinese Liaison Office.

The magistrate in question rejected Mr. Harris’ request.

Below are three incidents that demonstrate a pattern of partiality on the part of the magistrate:

Background

On March 14, 2001, four Falun Gong practitioners from Switzerland and 12 from Hong Kong held a peaceful sit-in appeal and hunger strike in front of the Chinese Liaison Office in Hong Kong in order to express disapproval of Chinese President Jiang Zemin’s orders to shoot Falun Gong practitioners. Several hours into the appeal, at the request of the P.R.C’s Liaison Office, Hong Kong policemen arrived at the site of the appeal, held a press conference and proceeded to violently take the 16 practitioners into custody. In a trial in which the police chose to charge the practitioners for allegedly obstructing the sidewalk, the defense counsel has cited “over policing” and “unprofessional behavior” by the Hong Kong police.