Dr Anna Dziedzic, Associate Director of CCPL, and Mr Julius Yam published a CCPL Policy Paper “Amnesties in Hong Kong: Preliminary Discussion Paper”.
This preliminary discussion paper presents a case for the use of amnesties to address the current civil conflict in Hong Kong. It argues that amnesties for offences committed in relation to public protests in Hong Kong would be an exceptional but justified measure to de-escalate conflict and rebuild trust between people and government. It explains how immunities from prosecution and pardons might be implemented within Hong Kong’s existing legal framework. Drawing on experiences in other parts of the world, it also suggests how issues such as who should be eligible and what kinds of offences could be included or excluded can be addressed in the design and operation of an amnesty. This paper sets out the range of issues to be considered in relation to amnesty in order to provide a basis for informed discussion of amnesty in the current context of Hong Kong.