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Hong Kong approves just two legal aid cases for judicial reviews
Hong Kong’s Legal Aid Department received 110 judicial review applications last year, down nearly 60.0% from 2016, and approved two certificates, down almost 90.0%.
Hong Kong authorities approved only two legal aid applications for judicial review challenges to government policies and decisions last year, the fewest in the past decade, according to annual reports cited by the South China Morning Post. The Legal Aid Department received 110 applications covering judicial reviews of government policies and related organizations’ decisions, an almost 60.0% drop from 2016.
The department also issued two legal aid certificates for such applications last year, down by almost 90.0% compared with 2016. Chan Chak-ming, the department director, dismissed claims that the department adopted tighter vetting or reduced access to justice after earlier criticism about approvals being too lenient.
In an interview with the South China Morning Post, Chan denied that the approach had become more stringent, despite the sharp decline in both applications and approvals shown in the reports.