The Controversy of the Amendment of Anti-Extradition in Hong Kong-Threat to the people of Hong Kong

Abstract

The purpose of this article was to analyze the amendment of Fugitive Offenders Ordinance & Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Ordinance, which caused widespread controversy in Hong Kong recently. This amendment stemmed from a murder case that occurred in Taiwan, which led the Hong Kong government to decide to fill the legal loopholes in the extradition law. The amendment abolished the prohibition of extradition of China and made the fundamental changes to the vetting procedure for extradition. However, based on the question to the judicial environment in China and the unequal relationship between Hong Kong and China, many Hong Kong people believed that the amendment would seriously threaten their personal safety. The amendment mattered important because people it affected were not only Hong Kong citizens, but also foreigners staying in Hong Kong. And as an important international financial center, the influence of Hong Kong couldn’t be underestimated. Therefore, the amendment had triggered a high degree of international concern. This article will analyze the contents of the amendment and the supports and the oppositions to clarify the dispute and discuss whether the amendment is good or bad.