Court Rejects Former HKJA Chair's Bid to Appeal Obstruction Conviction
HKFP · 1 SOURCESabout 3 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
A Hong Kong court has refused to grant Ronson Chan, the former chair of the Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA), permission to escalate his obstruction conviction to the Court of Final Appeal. Chan received a five-day prison sentence after being convicted for refusing to present his identity card to a plainclothes police officer in Mong Kok in September 2022. Deputy High Court Judge Lily Wong presided over both the initial appeal and the latest certification hearing, rejecting arguments that the Police Force Ordinance does not grant officers clear authority to demand identification .
Key Points
- Ronson Chan served as HKJA chair from 2021 to 2024 before stepping down after his conviction
- The incident occurred in September 2022 when Chan was reporting on a homeowners' committee meeting in Mong Kok
- Chan was convicted in September 2023 and sentenced to five days in jail, but was granted bail pending appeal
- He served the prison term after losing his appeal in May, which was also presided over by Judge Wong
- Chan can still apply directly to the Court of Final Appeal's Appeal Committee for leave to appeal
Why It Matters
The ruling affirms the broad powers granted to police under Hong Kong's Police Force Ordinance to conduct identity checks, a provision that has implications for press freedom and the protection of journalists during their work. While Chan retains the option to petition the Appeal Committee directly, Friday's decision represents a significant legal setback for those seeking to limit police stop-and-identify authority in the city .
The ruling affirms the broad powers granted to police under Hong Kong's Police Force Ordinance to conduct identity checks, a provision that has implications for press freedom and the protection of journalists during their work. While Chan retains the option to petition the Appeal Committee directly, Friday's decision represents a significant legal setback for those seeking to limit police stop-and-identify authority in the city .