Government welcomes CFA judgment on appeal of unauthorised assembly case
The Court of Final Appeal (CFA) today (August 12) unanimously dismissed the appeals of seven appellants including Lai Chee-ying arising out of their knowingly taking part in an unauthorised assembly on August 18, 2019. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government welcomes the CFA's judgment.
The CFA reiterated that the defendants' applications for leave to appeal on the ground of challenging the trial Judge's factual findings had been refused. The court also stated in its judgment that the appellants' constitutional challenges against section 17A(3)(a) of the Public Order Ordinance (Cap. 245) had failed, and they had not raised any constitutional challenge against the Commissioner of Police's decision to ban the march, and that was not to suggest that such a challenge would have succeeded as there were compelling reasons to accept that the Commissioner of Police's decision had been constitutionally sound and proportionate.
The CFA has explained and modified the legal concept of "operational proportionality", placing it in the well-established framework for constitutional challenges in this jurisdiction. In view of the differences between the respective frameworks for human rights challenges in Hong Kong and the United Kingdom (UK), the court also held that the decisions of the two UK cases should not be followed in Hong Kong, and rejected the appellants' argument that each of a defendant's arrest, prosecution, conviction and sentence must be separately justified as proportionate.
The HKSAR Government reiterated that Hong Kong citizens have the rights to peaceful assembly and procession conducted in accordance with the law. That said, these rights must be exercised in conformity with the relevant legislation to ensure the safeguarding of national security, public order, public safety and the protection of the rights and freedom of others. The impact of such public events on members of the public should also be minimised.
The HKSAR Government spokesman said, "Hong Kong residents have the obligation to abide by the laws in force in the HKSAR. Equality before the law is one of the fundamental facets of the rule of law, and all persons, regardless of race, rank, politics or religion, are subject to the laws of the land."
Hong Kong Science Museum's new exhibition to introduce current state of local industries and explore future industry prospects
The Hong Kong Science Museum (HKScM) is staging a new exhibition, "Innovative Pathway: Hong Kong's New Era of Industry", illustrating how local researchers and industrialists push the boundaries of innovation in different fields, apply cutting-edge technologies to real-world challenges and enhance production efficiency and product quality to form new quality productive forces through more than 50 exhibits. The exhibition not only showcases the current state of local industries but also explores future industry prospects, highlighting how new industrialisation in Hong Kong is paving the way for long-term growth, driving social progress and fostering economic development. The exhibition will run until July 2.
Addressing the opening ceremony today (April 11), the Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Ms Manda Chan, said Hong Kong, as an international metropolis, not only brings together Eastern and Western cultures but also harmonises innovation with tradition. Following the country's announcement to accelerate the development of new quality productive forces, Hong Kong is fully co-operating in its efforts and striving to become an international innovation and technology centre. Hong Kong's industry has gradually transformed from early traditional manufacturing to today's high-tech industries, embodying the wisdom and efforts of countless scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs.
She added that each innovation achievement in this exhibition is evidence of the new era of the Hong Kong industry, telling a "Hong Kong story" that, relying on technological strength, transforms innovative ideas into practical and sustainable solutions, continuously improving people's quality of life. With advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, and robotics, the Hong Kong industry achieves breakthroughs in environmental technologies that convert waste into energy, cutting-edge applications in smart manufacturing and life sciences, and redefines "Made in Hong Kong".
Ms Chan said this exhibition not only showcases technological innovation achievements but also promotes the culture of scientific research and popular science education. She hopes that the public, especially young people, can experience the myriad possibilities of technological development through the exhibits and interactive experiences, developing a passion for exploring science, learning innovative thinking for the future, and seizing the development opportunities brought about by Hong Kong's technological innovation.
Other officiating guests today included the Chairman of the Federation of Hong Kong Industries (FHKI), Mr Steve Chuang; the Executive Deputy Chairman of the FHKI and Chairman of the FHKI 65th Anniversary Organising Committee, Mr Anthony Lam; and the Museum Director of the HKScM, Mr Lawrence Lee.
The exhibition comprises five sections, namely "Industry Cornerstone", "Research and Development", "Smart Manufacturing", "Industry 4.0" and "2030 Vision". Through interactive exhibits and model and object displays, the exhibition introduces innovative designs that cover a wide range of areas, including clothing, food, housing, and transportation in people's daily lives, and highlights how local teams transfer research outcomes from three key industries, namely life and health technology, artificial intelligence and data sciences, and advanced manufacturing and new energy technology, to contribute to the realisation of Hong Kong's new industrialisation. Highlight exhibits include an interactive device that showcases a passive radiative cooling material that lowers indoor temperatures without relying on electricity, an injection moulding machine that utilises injection moulding technology to mass-produce plastic products, and an automated multiplex diagnostic system that can detect more than 40 respiratory pathogens simultaneously in about 1.5 hours.
The exhibition is presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and the FHKI, organised by the HKScM and the FHKI, and funded by the Innovation and Technology Commission. The exhibition is held at the Special Exhibition Hall, G/F, HKScM (2 Science Museum Road, Tsim Sha Tsui East, Kowloon). Guided tours of the exhibition will be held on weekends and public holidays from May 1 to July 1. The guided tours are free of charge with on-site enrolment. In addition, the HKScM will also organise an array of activities, including off-site guided tours, exhibit demonstrations, children's programmes, experiments, workshops, and science lectures, with free admission. For details of the exhibition and activities, please visit hk.science.museum/en/web/scm/exhibition/industrial2025.html, or call 2732 3232 for enquiries.
Hong Kong Science Museum's new exhibition to introduce current state of local industries and explore future industry prospects Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Hong Kong Science Museum's new exhibition to introduce current state of local industries and explore future industry prospects Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Hong Kong Science Museum's new exhibition to introduce current state of local industries and explore future industry prospects Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Hong Kong Science Museum's new exhibition to introduce current state of local industries and explore future industry prospects Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Hong Kong Science Museum's new exhibition to introduce current state of local industries and explore future industry prospects Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Hong Kong Science Museum's new exhibition to introduce current state of local industries and explore future industry prospects Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Hong Kong Science Museum's new exhibition to introduce current state of local industries and explore future industry prospects Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Hong Kong Science Museum's new exhibition to introduce current state of local industries and explore future industry prospects Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
