My Take | Principle of dealing with cases in timely manner must be honoured
Sword of Damocles is hanging over heads of more than 7,000 people still waiting to hear whether they will be charged five years after protests
The wheels of justice often turn slowly, despite the famous maxim that justice delayed is justice denied.
But for thousands arrested on suspicion of offending during Hong Kong’s civil unrest in 2019, there must appear to be a cog in those wheels.
More than 7,000 of the 10,279 people arrested are, according to the police, still waiting to find out whether they will be charged, five years after the anti-government protests.
Last week, a District Court judge considered the long time taken to bring a prosecution against four convicted rioters to be a mitigating factor when sentencing. This is rare.
The offences took place on July 1, 2019. The police investigation was swift, with a file submitted to the Department of Justice for advice within three months. But it took more than two years for that advice to be provided and charges brought.
Two of the defendants, twins, were only 14 years old when arrested. They were sentenced to at least six months in a training centre. Two older offenders were jailed for three years, receiving a three-month reduction partly because of the delay.
