Secretary for Justice Paul Lam Ting-kwok stated that new subsidiary legislation on national security certification will not impact appeal processes in Hong Kong courts.
Paul Lam Ting-kwok described the defence of national security as continuous work to improve the legal system. He noted that subsidiary laws provide greater clarity and certainty.
Lam addressed concerns about appeals, saying an appeal is not a retrial. The court will not hear new evidence and will only consider whether the judge made errors in the original verdict.
Hong Kong passed the new subsidiary legislation earlier this month. It establishes a mechanism vesting certification power in the Chief Executive at any stage of proceedings. The classification would affect charges faced by defendants, including acts that occurred before the National Security Law came into force in 2020.