Hong Kong Holds 24th in 2026 Rule of Law Index
Bastillepost · 4 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
The World Justice Project released its 2026 Rule of Law Index on 21 October, with Hong Kong keeping its global ranking of 24th out of 143 countries and territories and remaining sixth in East Asia and the Pacific. The Department of Justice said Hong Kong’s scores in most areas were similar to last year, and that the city continued to rank ahead of some Western countries that it said had repeatedly made unfair criticism of Hong Kong’s rule of law and human rights situation. Hong Kong stayed in the global top 10 for both “absence of corruption” and “order and security”, with the latter rising to seventh worldwide. The government linked that improvement to the implementation of the Hong Kong National Security Law, the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance and other related laws, while acknowledging slight declines in the rankings for “fundamental rights” and “criminal justice”.
Key Points
- The 2026 index placed Hong Kong 24th among 143 countries and territories, unchanged overall, while keeping sixth place in East Asia and the Pacific.
- Officials said scores in most categories were broadly similar to last year, with rankings still ahead of some Western countries that criticize Hong Kong.
- Hong Kong again ranked in the global top 10 for “absence of corruption” and “order and security”, with “order and security” improving to seventh.
- The government said national security legislation and related laws had strengthened safety protections and helped preserve a strong business and investment environment.
- Rankings for constraints on government powers and civil justice were unchanged, while open government and regulatory enforcement were nearly unchanged; fundamental rights and criminal justice slipped slightly.
Why It Matters
For Hong Kong readers, the index is one of the international benchmarks often cited in debates over the city’s legal system, public safety and business climate. The government’s emphasis on high scores in security and integrity, alongside weaker movement in rights-related categories, shows where it wants to frame Hong Kong’s competitiveness and international image.