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Fugitive Offenders and Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters
Legislation (Amendment) Bill 2019
Overview
• Strengthen international co-operation in criminal justice
• HK’s Legislation
– Fugitive Offenders Ordinance (FOO) (Cap.503)
– Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Ordinance (MLAO) (Cap.525)
International Co-operation
• FOO Agreements : 20 countries
– Australia, Canada, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Malaysia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Philippines, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, United Kingdom, United States of America
• MLAO Agreements: 32 countries
– Argentina , Australia, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel , Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Ukraine, United States of America
Fugitive Requests
• HK received 204 requests (218 fugitives) in 1997–2018, 109 fugitives surrendered
No. of offenders surrendered
⚫ USA 68
⚫ Australia 10
⚫ UK 8
⚫ Canada 7
⚫ Republic of Korea 4
⚫ Singapore 4
⚫ Netherlands 3
⚫ Philippines 2
⚫ India 1
⚫ New Zealand 1
⚫ Romania 1
Total no. 109
Examples of Offences Involved No. of Cases
⚫ Drug-related 38
⚫ Offences against Properties e.g.
robbery, deception, etc.
32
⚫ Money Laundering 13
⚫ Homicide 12
⚫ Forgery 12
⚫ Sexual Offences 9
⚫ Computer crime 8
⚫ Assault / wounding 5
⚫ Immigration offences 3
⚫ Corruption 2
⚫ Firearms 2
Legal Safeguards• Double criminality
• No political offence
• No prosecuting for race, religion, nationality or political opinions
• No prejudice in trial or punishment by reason of race, religion, nationality or political opinions
• No double jeopardy
• No prosecution for additional offences
• No re-surrender to a third country
• No death penalty
Executive & Judicial Scrutiny
Procedural Safeguards
• Legal representation
• Legal aid
• Habeas corpus (up to CFA)
• Torture claim (up to CFA)
• Right to apply for discharge by court
• Appeal (up to CFA)
• Judicial review (up to CFA)
Executive & Judicial Scrutiny
46 Extraditable Offences
• Homicide
• Sexual offences
• Offences against properties
• Offences against children and women
• Corruption
• Perjury
• Computer crimes
• Hijacking
• Vice, drug and gambling-related
• Firearms and explosives
• Offences committed by company officers, directors and promoters.
• Bankruptcy
• Taxation
• Pollution
• Piracy
• Trade description
• Money laundering
• Offences under multilateral international conventions
Examples
Punishable with imprisonment over 12 months
Long-term agreement(or Case-based arrangement)
Current Extradition Procedure
Executive Scrutiny
Chief Executive’s authority to proceed
Committal hearing in court
Chief Executive issues surrender order
Why Amend?
• Taiwan murder case presents two practical problems
➢ Geographical restrictions
➢ Impracticable operating procedures
• FOO– Differentiate case-based arrangement
from long-term agreement• lift the geographical restriction
• Chief Executive’s certificate to facilitate procedure in lieu of impracticable subsidiary legislation procedure
• Cover 37 of 46 items of offences punishable for more than 3 years
Amendment Bill – Key Proposals
Case-based agreement & CE’s certificate
Proposed Extradition Procedure
Executive Scrutiny
Chief Executive’s authority to proceed
Committal hearing in court
Chief Executive issues surrender order
Rule of Law Global Ranking
Country / Jurisdiction Global Ranking
China 82
Hong Kong 16
Extradition Agreement
Countries with HK
Global Ranking
Malaysia 51
New Zealand 8
Philippines 90
Portugal 22
Republic of Korea 18
Singapore 13
South Africa 47
Sri Lanka 63
UK 12
USA 20
Extradition Agreement
Countries with HK
Global Ranking
Australia 11
Canada 9
Czech Republic 19
Finland 3
France 17
Germany 6
Holland 5
India 68
Indonesia 62
Ireland N.A.
Source: World Justice Project Rule of Law Index 2019, available at: https://worldjusticeproject.org/our-work/research-and-data/wjp-rule-law-index-2019
Rule of Law Global RankingExtradition Agreement
Countries with UK
Global Ranking
Bangladesh 112
Belize 86
Bolivia 119
Ecuador 87
El Salvador 84
Guatemala 96
Kenya 101
Liberia 97
Moldova 83
Nicaragua 114
Nigeria 106
Philippines 90
Russia 88
Sierra Leone 98
Tanzania 91
Togo 100
Turkey 109
Uganda 113
Zambia 92
Zimbabwe 116
Extradition Agreement
Countries with US
Global Ranking
Belize 86
Bolivia 119
Congo 124
Dominican Republic 95
Ecuador 87
Egypt 121
El Salvador 84
Guatemala 96
Honduras 115
Kenya 101
Liberia 97
Mexico 99
Nicaragua 114
Nigeria 106
Pakistan 117
Philippines 90
Sierra Leone 98
Tanzania 91
Togo 100
Turkey 109
Venezuela 126
Zambia 92
Zimbabwe 116
Extradition Agreement
Countries with Canada
Global Ranking
Bolivia 119
Ecuador 87
El Salvador 84
Guatemala 96
Liberia 97
Mexico 99
Nicaragua 114
Philippines 90
Source: World Justice Project Rule of Law Index 2019, available at: https://worldjusticeproject.org/our-work/research-and-data/wjp-rule-law-index-2019
Court of Final Appeal (CFA)
• Court of Final Appeal
➢ Chief Justice, 3 Permanent Judges and 18 Non-Permanent Judges
• 18 Non-Permanent Judges
➢ Local (4), UK (9), Australia (4), Canada (1)
Judicial Independence of HK
• World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report
➢ No. 8 (global ranking)
➢ No. 1 (Asian ranking)
Source: World Economic Forum The Global Competitiveness Report 2018, available at: http://www3.weforum.org/docs/GCR2018/05FullReport/TheGlobalCompetitivenessReport2018.pdf
Conclusion
• Solving Taiwan case and addressing two practical problems
• Targeting fugitive offenders of serious offences, not innocent public
• For long-term interest of Hong Kong’s law and order, level playing field for business
• Not for any particular jurisdiction
• No hidden agenda
Conclusion
• Will not affect long-term surrender agreements
• Executive and judicial scrutiny with full legal, procedural and human rights safeguards
• Strong judicial independence
• Subject to further restrictions to surrender
• Key policy goal to pursue long-term surrender arrangements
Thank you
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