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Hong Kong Appoints Sir William Young to Court of Final Appeal, Restoring Foreign Bench to Six

Lawmakers say this move aims to restore faith in the court after resignations driven by the national security law

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Overview

  • Lawmakers approved Sir William Young’s appointment on June 4 as a non-permanent judge, marking the first foreign addition since 2024
  • With Sir William’s arrival, six overseas jurists now serve on the Court of Final Appeal, compared with a peak of 15 in 2019
  • Since Beijing introduced the national security law in 2020, about half of the court’s foreign judges have resigned or declined renewals, citing political concerns
  • Chief Executive John Lee praised Young’s “eminent standing and reputation” as evidence of confidence in Hong Kong’s judiciary
  • Chief Justice Andrew Cheung acknowledged that geopolitical headwinds complicate recruiting overseas judges but insisted the court’s quality and independence remain intact