A 90-year-old cardinal from Hong Kong will be allowed by the authorities to attend the funeral of former pope Benedict XVI after he was arrested last year under the national security law, a source told AFP. Cardinal Joseph Zen was one of the highest-ranking Catholics in Asia but his passport was confiscated after his arrest for allegedly funding pro-democracy protestors. The funeral for Benedict will take place on Tuesday with the incumbent Pope Francis leading the proceedings.

Zen was promoted to the Catholic church’s College of Cardinals by Benedict back in 2006.

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According to the AFP report, Magistrate Peter Law ruled during a hearing on Tuesday that Zen could leave Hong Kong for five days and his passport will be returned temporarily. Zen has been facing a number of legal threats with the China-backed authorities pushing for stricter restrictions.

In the aftermath of Benedict’s death, Zen wrote an article after the former pope where he described him as "great defender of truth" and lauded his contributions to the Chinese church.

"He could not accept any compromise," Zen wrote.

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Zen was arrested in May 2021 for “collusion with foreign forces” – an offence can result in up to life imprisonment. While the fund was set up by five pro-democracy advocates to help protestors through medical and legal aid, it was fined by the court for not having proper registration.

The implementation of the national security law by the China-backed authorities has resulted in a war against pro-democracy activists who have found it difficult to continue their fight.

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A 90-year-old cardinal from Hong Kong will be allowed by the authorities to attend the funeral of former pope Benedict XVI after he was arrested last year under the national security law, a source told AFP.

A 90-year-old cardinal from Hong Kong will be allowed by the authorities to attend the funeral of former pope Benedict XVI after he was arrested last year under the national security law, a source told AFP. Cardinal Joseph Zen was one of the highest-ranking Catholics in Asia but his passport was confiscated after his arrest for allegedly funding pro-democracy protestors. The funeral for Benedict will take place on Tuesday with the incumbent Pope Francis leading the proceedings. Zen was promoted to the Catholic church’s College of Cardinals by Benedict back in 2006. Also read | Another Russian found dead on a ship in India, third incident in a fortnight According to the AFP report, Magistrate Peter Law ruled during a hearing on Tuesday that Zen could leave Hong Kong for five days and his passport will be returned temporarily. Zen has been facing a number of legal threats with the China-backed authorities pushing for stricter restrictions. In the aftermath of Benedict’s death, Zen wrote an article after the former pope where he described him as "great defender of truth" and lauded his contributions to the Chinese church. "He could not accept any compromise," Zen wrote. Also read | Ex-White House aide's angry text messages on January 6 released Zen was arrested in May 2021 for “collusion with foreign forces” – an offence can result in up to life imprisonment. While the fund was set up by five pro-democracy advocates to help protestors through medical and legal aid, it was fined by the court for not having proper registration. The implementation of the national security law by the China-backed authorities has resulted in a war against pro-democracy activists who have found it difficult to continue their fight.

Hong Kong court allows Cardinal Zen to attend funeral of Pope Benedict XVI

They were arrested on one of the most violent days in Hong Kong last year, when protesters threw firebombs at the main government offices and set a barrier aflame outside police headquarters. But last month, a judge quickly dismantled the prosecutors’ case against them.

In his ruling, District Judge Sham Siu-man said that police officers had given unreliable testimony and that they appeared to have gone against their training by using batons to subdue one protester. He found all eight defendants not guilty, saying one had merely been asking officers to do their job when she used a loudspeaker to urge restraint.

The next day, a Chinese government-owned newspaper in Hong Kong splashed a photo of the judge, wearing his court wig and robes, on its front page beside images of protesters and burning barriers. “Strange opinion issued by the court,” the headline read. The judge, it continued, says the protesters “were actually the ones wronged.”

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As the Chinese Communist Party extends its grip over Hong Kong, pro-Beijing forces are increasingly targeting the city’s independent judiciary, an institution that forms the backbone of this global center for commerce and capital.

State newspapers have railed for months against “yellow judges” seen as lenient toward protesters. (The color yellow is a symbol of the protest movement.) Party officials have called for an overhaul of the courts to rein in judges’ autonomy. The city’s leadership has exerted more influence over the selection of judges.

“It would be naive for anyone to think they will leave the judiciary alone. Why would they?” said Dennis Kwok, who represented Hong Kong’s legal sector in the local legislature until he was removed from office this month. “They want to get their hands on everything.”

The far-reaching national security law that Beijing passed this summer gives the state even more authority over the Hong Kong judiciary. China’s legislature also bypassed the local courts to force the ouster of four lawmakers in November, exercising new powers that some lawyers and legal scholars worry could be turned against judges.

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The Hong Kong judiciary, with its British-born, 170-year-old tradition of robes, wigs and independence, is at the heart of an existential fight over the region’s future.

Hong Kong’s courts firmly divide the city from mainland China, where the opaque legal system is controlled by the Communist Party. The city’s underlying rule of law has helped attract droves of multinational corporations, bringing a flood of money that has made Hong Kong one of the world’s leading cities.

The judicial system’s integrity is fiercely defended in Hong Kong. The demonstrations that engulfed the city last year began over a proposal that many saw as potentially undermining the local courts, by allowing extraditions to mainland China.

In addition to imposing the national security law, Communist Party officials and state newspapers in the city are pushing for still more control. In a continuing series, Ta Kung Pao, a newspaper owned by the Chinese government’s liaison office in Hong Kong, has demanded that judges be patriotic. It has called for establishing a council to set the length of sentences, an external panel to handle complaints about judges and greater scrutiny over the judicial selection process.

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“Beijing understands that this is an area that people will be very sensitive to and the international community will be watching over,” said Eric Cheung, a legal scholar at the University of Hong Kong. “Beijing may not want to be seen as interfering with judicial independence, but I think it is very clear some Beijing officials are not happy with some decisions made by our judges.”

Even before the protests and the security law, Beijing had significant judicial oversight. When China reclaimed Hong Kong from Britain in 1997, the ultimate authority for interpretation of its laws moved to Beijing.

The Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, China’s rubber-stamp legislature, has the power to interpret the Basic Law, Hong Kong’s local constitution. Several of its rulings have gone against the city’s pro-democracy camp. The committee’s interpretation of oath-taking in 2016 paved the way for the removal of six pro-democracy lawmakers who had protested during their swearing-in ceremonies.

The security law has further constricted the city’s courts. It allows for some cases, such as those involving foreign forces or imminent threats, to be tried on the mainland. Under the law, Carrie Lam, Hong Kong’s chief executive, will designate judges for trials on national security charges.

Hong Kong’s Department of Justice recently pressed beyond the scope of the law, asking that a judge authorized to hear national security matters handle the trial of Tam Tak-chi, an activist charged with sedition and unauthorized assembly. Those charges do not fall under the security law.

Britain is considering whether to bar its judges from serving in Hong Kong. Foreign judges serve temporary roles on the Court of Final Appeal so the city can maintain ties to common-law countries.

Both the pro-Beijing and pro-democracy camps have found fault with the courts over protest cases — perhaps signaling that the judiciary remains an impartial institution, with a range of outlooks among judges.

A High Court judge was criticized by pro-Beijing figures for ruling this month that the riot police had not been carrying sufficient identification and that mechanisms for dealing with complaints of police mistreatment needed to be improved. The Hong Kong Journalists Association had filed the suit over the police’s handling of reporters during protests.

Some judges have been condemned by the opposition for giving tough sentences to demonstrators or for appearing to sympathize with people who attacked protesters. After a district judge compared the protest movement to terrorism in an April ruling, Geoffrey Ma, chief justice of the Court of Final Appeal, barred him from future cases related to the political upheaval.

The criticism of judges, from both sides, has grown so frequent this year that Ma issued a lengthy defense of the judiciary’s independence.

“It is wrong to make serious accusations of bias or breach of fundamental principles merely based on a result of a case not to one’s liking,” he wrote in September. “The judiciary is not above criticism by any means, but any criticism must be solidly based and properly made. In particular, there must not be a politicization of the judiciary and its functions.”

So far, the protest cases that have been prosecuted do not indicate that the courts lean strongly to one side or another.

Of 10,148 people arrested in the protests, 2,325 have been prosecuted for crimes such as rioting, unlawful assembly or assault. As of the end of October, 372 had been convicted and 77 acquitted, according to Hong Kong police records.

They were arrested on one of the most violent days in Hong Kong last year, when protesters threw firebombs at the main government offices and set a barrier aflame outside police headquarters.

They were arrested on one of the most violent days in Hong Kong last year, when protesters threw firebombs at the main government offices and set a barrier aflame outside police headquarters. But last month, a judge quickly dismantled the prosecutors’ case against them. In his ruling, District Judge Sham Siu-man said that police officers had given unreliable testimony and that they appeared to have gone against their training by using batons to subdue one protester. He found all eight defendants not guilty, saying one had merely been asking officers to do their job when she used a loudspeaker to urge restraint. The next day, a Chinese government-owned newspaper in Hong Kong splashed a photo of the judge, wearing his court wig and robes, on its front page beside images of protesters and burning barriers. “Strange opinion issued by the court,” the headline read. The judge, it continued, says the protesters “were actually the ones wronged.” Also read| Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam keeps 'piles of cash' at home due to US sanctions As the Chinese Communist Party extends its grip over Hong Kong, pro-Beijing forces are increasingly targeting the city’s independent judiciary, an institution that forms the backbone of this global center for commerce and capital. State newspapers have railed for months against “yellow judges” seen as lenient toward protesters. (The color yellow is a symbol of the protest movement.) Party officials have called for an overhaul of the courts to rein in judges’ autonomy. The city’s leadership has exerted more influence over the selection of judges. “It would be naive for anyone to think they will leave the judiciary alone. Why would they?” said Dennis Kwok, who represented Hong Kong’s legal sector in the local legislature until he was removed from office this month. “They want to get their hands on everything.” The far-reaching national security law that Beijing passed this summer gives the state even more authority over the Hong Kong judiciary. China’s legislature also bypassed the local courts to force the ouster of four lawmakers in November, exercising new powers that some lawyers and legal scholars worry could be turned against judges. Also read| China to charge 12 Hong Kong locals who were caught fleeing The Hong Kong judiciary, with its British-born, 170-year-old tradition of robes, wigs and independence, is at the heart of an existential fight over the region’s future. Hong Kong’s courts firmly divide the city from mainland China, where the opaque legal system is controlled by the Communist Party. The city’s underlying rule of law has helped attract droves of multinational corporations, bringing a flood of money that has made Hong Kong one of the world’s leading cities. The judicial system’s integrity is fiercely defended in Hong Kong. The demonstrations that engulfed the city last year began over a proposal that many saw as potentially undermining the local courts, by allowing extraditions to mainland China. In addition to imposing the national security law, Communist Party officials and state newspapers in the city are pushing for still more control. In a continuing series, Ta Kung Pao, a newspaper owned by the Chinese government’s liaison office in Hong Kong, has demanded that judges be patriotic. It has called for establishing a council to set the length of sentences, an external panel to handle complaints about judges and greater scrutiny over the judicial selection process. Also read| Hong Kong prison wrong to cut ‘Long Hair’ locks, says court “Beijing understands that this is an area that people will be very sensitive to and the international community will be watching over,” said Eric Cheung, a legal scholar at the University of Hong Kong. “Beijing may not want to be seen as interfering with judicial independence, but I think it is very clear some Beijing officials are not happy with some decisions made by our judges.” Even before the protests and the security law, Beijing had significant judicial oversight. When China reclaimed Hong Kong from Britain in 1997, the ultimate authority for interpretation of its laws moved to Beijing. The Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, China’s rubber-stamp legislature, has the power to interpret the Basic Law, Hong Kong’s local constitution. Several of its rulings have gone against the city’s pro-democracy camp. The committee’s interpretation of oath-taking in 2016 paved the way for the removal of six pro-democracy lawmakers who had protested during their swearing-in ceremonies. The security law has further constricted the city’s courts. It allows for some cases, such as those involving foreign forces or imminent threats, to be tried on the mainland. Under the law, Carrie Lam, Hong Kong’s chief executive, will designate judges for trials on national security charges. Hong Kong’s Department of Justice recently pressed beyond the scope of the law, asking that a judge authorized to hear national security matters handle the trial of Tam Tak-chi, an activist charged with sedition and unauthorized assembly. Those charges do not fall under the security law. Britain is considering whether to bar its judges from serving in Hong Kong. Foreign judges serve temporary roles on the Court of Final Appeal so the city can maintain ties to common-law countries. Both the pro-Beijing and pro-democracy camps have found fault with the courts over protest cases — perhaps signaling that the judiciary remains an impartial institution, with a range of outlooks among judges. A High Court judge was criticized by pro-Beijing figures for ruling this month that the riot police had not been carrying sufficient identification and that mechanisms for dealing with complaints of police mistreatment needed to be improved. The Hong Kong Journalists Association had filed the suit over the police’s handling of reporters during protests. Some judges have been condemned by the opposition for giving tough sentences to demonstrators or for appearing to sympathize with people who attacked protesters. After a district judge compared the protest movement to terrorism in an April ruling, Geoffrey Ma, chief justice of the Court of Final Appeal, barred him from future cases related to the political upheaval. The criticism of judges, from both sides, has grown so frequent this year that Ma issued a lengthy defense of the judiciary’s independence. “It is wrong to make serious accusations of bias or breach of fundamental principles merely based on a result of a case not to one’s liking,” he wrote in September. “The judiciary is not above criticism by any means, but any criticism must be solidly based and properly made. In particular, there must not be a politicization of the judiciary and its functions.” So far, the protest cases that have been prosecuted do not indicate that the courts lean strongly to one side or another. Of 10,148 people arrested in the protests, 2,325 have been prosecuted for crimes such as rioting, unlawful assembly or assault. As of the end of October, 372 had been convicted and 77 acquitted, according to Hong Kong police records.

Hong Kong’s courts are still independent. Some want to rein them in.

A court in Hong Kong has declared media tycoon and pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai not guilty of criminal intimidation

Hong Kong's Jimmy Lai cleared of intimidation charges

In a landmark decision, a Hong Kong court denied on Friday a bid for the release of the first person charged with inciting separatism and terrorism under a new national security law in the Chinese-ruled city.

Police said Tong Ying-kit, 23, carried a sign reading "Liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our times," and drove his motorbike into officers, knocking down several on a narrow street, before falling over and getting arrested.

The government of the Asian financial hub has said the protest slogan connotes separatism or subversion under the new law, stoking concern over freedom of expression in the former British colony.

Two judges of Hong Kong`s High Court rejected Tong`s application for release from detention, and set Tuesday for a bail hearing.

"The applicant`s application for a writ of habeas corpus is dismissed," judges Anderson Chow and Alex Lee said in the ruling, adding that Tong should have instead sought review of an order that denied him bail.

Tong was denied bail last month, with the case adjourned to Oct. 6, as prosecutors sought more time to collect evidence.

He was among more than 300 demonstrators against the new law who were arrested by police on July 1, less than 24 hours after it was unveiled and took effect.

Hong Kong`s common law has traditionally allowed defendants to seek release unless prosecutors can show lawful grounds for their detention.

But the burden is now placed on the defendant, under the new law drafted by Beijing, which is not a common law jurisdiction and where the judiciary is controlled by the Communist Party.

Article 42 says, "No bail shall be granted to a criminal suspect or defendant unless the judge has sufficient grounds for believing that the criminal suspect or defendant will not continue to commit acts endangering national security."

The national security law has drawn wide criticism in the West for jeopardising basic rights and freedoms the global financial hub was promised when it returned to Chinese rule in 1997.

Supporters of the law, which provides for jail terms of up to life for anything China considers to be secession, subversion, terrorism or collusion with foreign forces, say it would bring stability after a year of pro-democracy and anti-China unrest.

In a landmark decision, a Hong Kong court denied on Friday a bid for the release of the first person charged with inciting separatism and terrorism under a new national security law in the Chinese-ruled city.

In a landmark decision, a Hong Kong court denied on Friday a bid for the release of the first person charged with inciting separatism and terrorism under a new national security law in the Chinese-ruled city. Police said Tong Ying-kit, 23, carried a sign reading "Liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our times," and drove his motorbike into officers, knocking down several on a narrow street, before falling over and getting arrested. The government of the Asian financial hub has said the protest slogan connotes separatism or subversion under the new law, stoking concern over freedom of expression in the former British colony. Two judges of Hong Kong`s High Court rejected Tong`s application for release from detention, and set Tuesday for a bail hearing. "The applicant`s application for a writ of habeas corpus is dismissed," judges Anderson Chow and Alex Lee said in the ruling, adding that Tong should have instead sought review of an order that denied him bail. Tong was denied bail last month, with the case adjourned to Oct. 6, as prosecutors sought more time to collect evidence. He was among more than 300 demonstrators against the new law who were arrested by police on July 1, less than 24 hours after it was unveiled and took effect. Hong Kong`s common law has traditionally allowed defendants to seek release unless prosecutors can show lawful grounds for their detention. But the burden is now placed on the defendant, under the new law drafted by Beijing, which is not a common law jurisdiction and where the judiciary is controlled by the Communist Party. Article 42 says, "No bail shall be granted to a criminal suspect or defendant unless the judge has sufficient grounds for believing that the criminal suspect or defendant will not continue to commit acts endangering national security." The national security law has drawn wide criticism in the West for jeopardising basic rights and freedoms the global financial hub was promised when it returned to Chinese rule in 1997. Supporters of the law, which provides for jail terms of up to life for anything China considers to be secession, subversion, terrorism or collusion with foreign forces, say it would bring stability after a year of pro-democracy and anti-China unrest.

Hong Kong court blocks release of first person charged under new security law

A Hong Kong court rejected on Sunday a challenge to an <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-metro-system-partially-reopens-as-city-braces-for-further-protests-253992">emergency law criminalising protesters wearing face masks</a> as democracy activists hit the streets again in defiance of the ban despite half the city's subway stations remaining closed.

Thousands of protesters have staged unsanctioned flashmob rallies across the strife-torn city -- some vandalising subway stations and shops -- after Hong Kong's leader outlawed face coverings at protests, invoking colonial-era emergency powers not used for half a century.

Pro-democracy lawmakers went to the High Court on Sunday seeking an emergency injunction against the ban, arguing the emergency powers bypassed the legislature and contravened the city's mini-constitution.

But a senior judge dismissed their injunction demand.

As the ruling was being delivered, two unsanctioned rallies were kicking off on both sides of Victoria Harbour, with thousands of masked protesters gathering in torrential downpours.

After four months of huge and increasingly violent protests, the city's unelected pro-Beijing leader Carrie Lam invoked a sweeping colonial-era law on Friday allowing her to make "any regulations whatsoever" during a time of public danger.

She used it to ban masks -- which protesters have used to hide their identity or protect from tear gas -- and warned she would use the powers to make new regulations if the unrest did not abate.

The move was welcomed by government supporters and Beijing.

But opponents and protesters saw it as the start of a slippery slope tipping the international finance hub into authoritarianism.

"I would say this is one of the most important constitutional cases in the history of Hong Kong," lawmaker Dennis Kwok told reporters before the ruling.

"If this emergency law just gets a pass just like that Hong Kong will be deemed into a very black hole," he added, previously likening Lam to the autocratic English monarch Henry VIII.

Two teen protesters shot

Hong Kong has been battered a summer of rage as widespread public anger seethes over Chinese rule and the police response to protests.

The rallies were ignited by a now-scrapped plan to allow extraditions to the mainland, which fuelled fears of an erosion of liberties promised under the 50-year "one country, two systems" model China agreed ahead of the 1997 handover by Britain.

After Beijing and local leaders took a hard line, the demonstrations snowballed into a wider movement calling for more democratic freedoms and police accountability.

Lam has refused major concessions but struggled to come up with any political solution, leaving police and demonstrators to fight increasingly violent battles as the city tips into recession.

The worst clashes to date erupted on Tuesday as China celebrated 70 years of Communist Party rule, with a teenager shot and wounded by police as he attacked an officer.

A 14-year-old boy was then shot and wounded Friday night when a plainclothes police officer, who was surrounded by a mob of protesters throwing petrol bombs, fired his sidearm.&nbsp;

That night, masked protesters went on a rampage in dozens of locations, trashing subway stations and businesses with mainland China ties.

The city's subway system -- which carries four million people daily -- was shut down entirely Friday night and throughout Saturday, bringing much of the metropolis to a halt.

Major supermarket chains and malls announced they were closing, leading to long lines and panic buying.

Thousands of masked protesters still came out onto the streets throughout Saturday despite the mask ban and transport gridlock, although the crowds were smaller than recent rallies.

Subway partially reopens

On Sunday, the subway operator said 45 stations would open but 48 remained shuttered, many of them in the heart of the city's main tourist districts as well as those areas hit hardest by the protests and vandalism.

Lam has defended her use of the emergency powers and said that she is willing to issue more executive orders if the violence continues.

"We cannot allow rioters any more to destroy our treasured Hong Kong," Lam said in a stony-faced video statement on Saturday.

But protesters have vowed to keep hitting the streets.

"The anti-face mask law is the first step," Hosun Lee, a protester in Causeway Bay, told AFP, saying he feared more laws under the emergency order were on the way.

Protester demands include an independent inquiry into the police, an amnesty for the more than 2,000 people arrested and universal suffrage -- all requests rejected by Lam and Beijing.

A Hong Kong court rejected on Sunday a challenge to an emergency law criminalising protesters wearing face masks as democracy activists hit the streets again in defiance of the ban despite half the city's subway stations remaining closed.

A Hong Kong court rejected on Sunday a challenge to an emergency law criminalising protesters wearing face masks as democracy activists hit the streets again in defiance of the ban despite half the city's subway stations remaining closed. Thousands of protesters have staged unsanctioned flashmob rallies across the strife-torn city -- some vandalising subway stations and shops -- after Hong Kong's leader outlawed face coverings at protests, invoking colonial-era emergency powers not used for half a century. Pro-democracy lawmakers went to the High Court on Sunday seeking an emergency injunction against the ban, arguing the emergency powers bypassed the legislature and contravened the city's mini-constitution. But a senior judge dismissed their injunction demand. As the ruling was being delivered, two unsanctioned rallies were kicking off on both sides of Victoria Harbour, with thousands of masked protesters gathering in torrential downpours. After four months of huge and increasingly violent protests, the city's unelected pro-Beijing leader Carrie Lam invoked a sweeping colonial-era law on Friday allowing her to make "any regulations whatsoever" during a time of public danger. She used it to ban masks -- which protesters have used to hide their identity or protect from tear gas -- and warned she would use the powers to make new regulations if the unrest did not abate. The move was welcomed by government supporters and Beijing. But opponents and protesters saw it as the start of a slippery slope tipping the international finance hub into authoritarianism. "I would say this is one of the most important constitutional cases in the history of Hong Kong," lawmaker Dennis Kwok told reporters before the ruling. "If this emergency law just gets a pass just like that Hong Kong will be deemed into a very black hole," he added, previously likening Lam to the autocratic English monarch Henry VIII. Two teen protesters shot Hong Kong has been battered a summer of rage as widespread public anger seethes over Chinese rule and the police response to protests. The rallies were ignited by a now-scrapped plan to allow extraditions to the mainland, which fuelled fears of an erosion of liberties promised under the 50-year "one country, two systems" model China agreed ahead of the 1997 handover by Britain. After Beijing and local leaders took a hard line, the demonstrations snowballed into a wider movement calling for more democratic freedoms and police accountability. Lam has refused major concessions but struggled to come up with any political solution, leaving police and demonstrators to fight increasingly violent battles as the city tips into recession. The worst clashes to date erupted on Tuesday as China celebrated 70 years of Communist Party rule, with a teenager shot and wounded by police as he attacked an officer. A 14-year-old boy was then shot and wounded Friday night when a plainclothes police officer, who was surrounded by a mob of protesters throwing petrol bombs, fired his sidearm. That night, masked protesters went on a rampage in dozens of locations, trashing subway stations and businesses with mainland China ties. The city's subway system -- which carries four million people daily -- was shut down entirely Friday night and throughout Saturday, bringing much of the metropolis to a halt. Major supermarket chains and malls announced they were closing, leading to long lines and panic buying. Thousands of masked protesters still came out onto the streets throughout Saturday despite the mask ban and transport gridlock, although the crowds were smaller than recent rallies. Subway partially reopens On Sunday, the subway operator said 45 stations would open but 48 remained shuttered, many of them in the heart of the city's main tourist districts as well as those areas hit hardest by the protests and vandalism. Lam has defended her use of the emergency powers and said that she is willing to issue more executive orders if the violence continues. "We cannot allow rioters any more to destroy our treasured Hong Kong," Lam said in a stony-faced video statement on Saturday. But protesters have vowed to keep hitting the streets. "The anti-face mask law is the first step," Hosun Lee, a protester in Causeway Bay, told AFP, saying he feared more laws under the emergency order were on the way. Protester demands include an independent inquiry into the police, an amnesty for the more than 2,000 people arrested and universal suffrage -- all requests rejected by Lam and Beijing.

Hong Kong court rejects mask ban challenge as fresh protests break out

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Hong Kong court allows Cardinal Zen to attend funeral of Pope Benedict XVI

Hong Kong’s courts are still independent. Some want to rein them in.

Hong Kong's Jimmy Lai cleared of intimidation charges

Hong Kong court blocks release of first person charged under new security law

Hong Kong court rejects mask ban challenge as fresh protests break out