Skip to main content

Xu Bing named cultural ambassador

Secretary for Culture, Sports & Tourism Kevin Yeung has appointed Chinese contemporary artist Xu Bing as Ambassador for Cultural Promotion for about five years starting today.    As Ambassador for Cultural Promotion, Mr Xu will initiate a series of large-scale art projects in Hong Kong and nurture young talent to promote cultural development.   The Culture, Sports & Tourism Bureau said the appointment aims to extend the Ambassador for Cultural Promotion scheme to other fields of arts, after Chinese composer, musician and conductor Tan Dun became Hong Kong’s first Ambassador for Cultural Promotion last year.   Speaking at the appointment ceremony today, Mr Yeung said Mr Xu is widely recognised as one of the most innovative and influential Chinese contemporary artists.   The culture chief added that the Museum of Art collected one of Mr Xu's most well-known works A Book from the Sky, which contains both traditional and contemporary elements, just like Hong Kong

Sentences are in accordance with law

The Department of Justice today said baseless attacks on sentences imposed by the court, which properly and aptly exercises judicial power independently as guaranteed under the Basic Law, manifest a total disrespect to the rule of law.   The department made the statement in response to comments from overseas politicians concerning the sentences imposed by the District Court involving nine defendants who were jointly charged with organising and knowingly taking part in an unauthorised assembly.   It said two of the defendants pleaded guilty before trial while the remaining seven were convicted of all the charges by the court on April 1, adding the judge set out the reasons for the verdict in her judgment on the same day, which is publicly available at the Judiciary's website.   The judge also stated the sentencing principles in court in imposing the sentences today.   The department said the Government has repeatedly pointed out that where a defendant pleads guilty or is found guilty after trial, it is the court's duty to impose a just and appropriate sentence, applying the relevant principles to the circumstances of the crime and those of the offender.   It is crucial that where there is any dissatisfaction over the sentences imposed by the courts, any redress ought to be taken up by means of an appeal or review, it added.   The department noted it is appalled by open demands for the immediate release of the defendants who admitted to their wrongdoing by either pleading guilty to their criminal act or were convicted after trial by the court.   While pointing out that such demands, absurd and menacing as they are, are in blatant violation of international laws and basic principle of non-intervention, the department said statements that create a real risk of prejudice to court proceedings in that the public confidence in the due administration of justice is undermined may amount to contempt of court.   It reminded members of the public that no one should comment arbitrarily on cases in respect of which legal proceedings are still ongoing as the matter is sub judice.
http://dlvr.it/Rxq3Wt

Popular posts from this blog

Legal officer changes proposed

The Government has proposed to amend the law to allow legal officers of the Department of Justice to be appointed as a senior counsel.   At a media session after attending a Legislative Council meeting today, Secretary for Justice Teresa Cheng explained the rationale behind the Government's proposal.   She said: “Why is it that my colleagues in the Department of Justice - who by their qualifications are solicitors but are actually arguing very well and very efficiently with great eloquence and efficacy in the Court of Final Appeal - are not being recognised when they are actually even better than their counterparts? That has always been something that sometimes troubles me.   “And for that reason, I have always been thinking about how we are going to overcome that problem.   “Now, what really triggers my determination to take this further forward is when one of our Deputy Directors of Public Prosecutions, Vinci Lam, took silk on May 29.   “That really showed that the form

CE to meet Congo president

Chief Executive John Lee will meet Democratic Republic of Congo President FĂ©lix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo at Government House tomorrow, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government announced today.   The Congo president is in the People’s Republic of China for a state visit and will arrive in Hong Kong for a two-day trip. http://dlvr.it/Spnmcs

Skewed remarks about NSL rejected

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government today said it strongly disapproved of and firmly rejected the wanton slanders and smears concerning the implementation of “one country, two systems” and the National Security Law (NSL) in Hong Kong by certain US and UK politicians.   In a statement issued tonight, the Hong Kong SAR Government noted that such slanders and smears were recently made through a statement by certain members of the US Senate on the 26th anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to the motherland and the third anniversary of the implementation of the NSL, and by the House of Commons of the UK Parliament through a debate on the aforesaid third anniversary.   It said it strongly disapproves of and firmly rejects the unfounded remarks and slanders by the US and UK politicians regarding the Hong Kong SAR where “one country, two systems” is successfully implemented.   It also strongly urges the politicians to immediately stop acting against the international law and