By Wilson Shum Ho-kit
The Hong Kong SAR Government's application to the court to confiscate assets related to Jimmy Lai's crimes fully embodies the rule of law principle in which any violations must be punished, regardless of the persons' backgrounds. This is a necessary and correct move to safeguard national security in order to ensure Hong Kong's long-term prosperity and stability.
Needless to say, national security is the foundation for the steady and long-term implementation of "One Country, Two Systems." Any activities endangering national security must be subject to strict legal sanctions to avoid social instability. In Jimmy Lai's case, the verdict clearly shows that he, as the mastermind, manipulate media platforms and personal resources to collude with external forces, incite separatism, and beg for foreign sanction. His criminal behaviors went far beyond the scope permitted by law. In other words, the government's decisive application for confiscation is a pragmatic action to cut off the funding chain so as to ensure that those who attempt to undermine Hong Kong's stability with money and influence have no chance to "make a comeback." This fully aligns with the common aspirations of the vast majority of citizens for social stability and economic development.
From the rule-of-law perspective, this action is by no means targeted at individual, but rather strictly in accordance with the provisions of the implementation rules of Articles 32 and 43 of the Hong Kong National Security Law. The court has detailed the facts of the crime, and the government is merely fulfilling its constitutional responsibility by confiscating and seizing the illegal proceeds, funds, and tools used or intended for use in the crime. This is consistent with the confiscation mechanisms used globally to combat serious crimes such as terrorism, drug trafficking, and corruption. I believe this is not merely a punishment for Jimmy Lai's individual crimes, but also a warning to the entire society: anyone who breaks the law and colludes with external forces to endanger the country will face full legal prosecution, including a thorough liquidation of their assets. Besides, the shares and bank assets frozen earlier in 2021 have proven that the relevant assets are indeed directly related to the crime. This application is precisely to bring the legal process to a close, demonstrating to the public the SAR government's determination to keep its word and enforce the law to the end.
In fact, Hong Kong-related issues are purely China's internal affairs, any blatant interference will only backfire. As aforementioned, Hong Kong SAR government launched a legal bid in the Court of First Instance to confiscate crime-related assets of Jimmy Lai in accordance with the law. That is to say, the application demonstrated our respect for judicial independence and procedural fairness. It is never an arbitrary confiscation. I strongly believe that this move in the long term will further consolidate Hong Kong's rule of law, allowing society to focus on the economy, people's livelihoods, innovation and technology development. It is the time the special administration region to catch up the blueprint of national development.
The views do not necessarily reflect those of DotDotNews.
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