The Hong Kong government on Wednesday "strongly condemned" and "vehemently opposed" the remark made by former city governor Chris Patten against the Court of Final Appeal (CFA) judgment regarding the case of Jimmy Lai Chee-ying and other activists participating in an unauthorized assembly in 2019.
Seven activists -- including Lai, the founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily, Martin Lee Chu-ming, the founding chairman of the Democratic Party, and five former pro-democracy lawmakers -- lost their final bid to overturn their convictions on Monday at the city's top court over their roles in the anti-government protest.
In response to the verdict, Patten claimed that the conviction of the seven for their role in the protests was unjust and showed the rapidly deteriorating state of the rule of law in Hong Kong.
He also noted that the judgment by David Neuberger, an overseas non-permanent judge (NPJ) in the city, is "surprising" as Neuberger was keen to establish that the English common law could accommodate fundamental aspects of human rights protection.
"In this case, perhaps some of his views on the law changed between the first-class waiting room at Heathrow and the arrival terminal of Hong Kong international airport," Patten told The Guardian, a UK newspaper.
The SAR government condemned Patten's "malicious slandering" against the case's verdict and his "wanton personal vilifications" against Neuberger.
The spokesman said Patten's remarks were made in blatant disregard of the detailed legal analysis by the CFA in its 76-page judgment and the factual background of the relevant case.
The government also slammed Patten for exerting political pressure on the CFA judges in an attempt to influence the judicial system of the SAR.
The spokesman said Patten's criticisms against Neuberger were completely groundless and unjustified personal attacks aiming to smear and slander the NPJ's reputation.
He said Patten deliberately ignored the judgment and maliciously accused the judge of not properly explaining the reasons for his verdict.
"Such an act was totally unfounded and outrageous," the spokesman added, and the government strongly condemns Patten's blatantly improper words and deeds.
