【大律師公會改選】陳文敏發聲明：參選非不滿林定國　尋求溝通對話而非對抗

立場新聞 2018/01/02 17:22

    大律師公會將於本月18日換屆改選，「人權大狀」戴啟思連同港大法律學院教授陳文敏、資深大律師駱應淦等合組名單參選，對撼現任主席的林定國名單。陳文敏今天在網上發聲明指，今次參選，非因不滿現屆公會及公會主席，亦強調尋求溝通、對話，而非對抗；只是近年香港的法治及司法獨立備受挑戰，大律師公會實有獨特角色，守護普通法下的核心價值。
    距離大律師公會換屆選舉尚餘兩個多星期，屬於戴啟思名單的陳文敏今日發表網上聲明，反駁外界認為該名單出選源於對現屆公會的不滿。陳文敏形容，自己曾經在大律師公會服務十年，在七個不同主席麾下做事，深知公會會務繁重，因此對願意犧牲私人時間付出的朋友，他自言相當尊重。他特別強調戴啟思名單不是要取代林定國等現屆執事的地位，而是希望與林定國名單成員聯繫、持續合作。「我們尋求溝通、對話，而非對抗。」（We seek to communicate and to have dialogue, not confrontation.）
    陳文敏認為，人大第五次釋法直接干預司法程序，香港法治及司法獨立正面臨前所未有的威脅。他預期未來幾年情況將更嚴重，而公眾正期望大律師公會能站穩立場，以誠實、公正、無懼、專業的態度面對。
    陳文敏又指，近年不少港人認定社會正值「最壞的時候」(the worst of times)、「絕望的寒冬」(winter of despair)，他反問，正如作家狄更斯所言，為何不能做一些事，為香港帶來「最好的時候」(the best of time），又或「希望之春」（spring of hope）？
    聲明全文：

    【Johannes Chan SC (Hon) - Personal Statement】

    Many have asked whether we run for election because we are not happy with the existing Bar Council or the chairman. Let me dispel this impression right away.

    I have served on the Bar Council on and off for more than 10 years under 7 different chairpersons. I know how onerous the workload on the Bar Council is, and I have full admiration for those members who are prepared to sacrifice the time for the benefit of the Bar and the community. We are not seeking to replace the Bar Council; to the contrary, we look forward to working with the existing members of the Bar Council.

    We run because we find the coming years will be particularly challenging to the rule of law and judicial independence, values which all of us hold dear to our hearts. The last NPCSC interpretation, which was made in the course of the judicial hearing with a clear intention to influence the outcome of the judicial process, is particularly disturbing. The rule of law and judicial independence have never been under greater threat in the last 20 years.

    At this particularly challenging time, we believe the Bar has a special and unique role to play in upholding the core values of the common law system. We believe our expertise would be able to contribute to that process.

    We seek to communicate and to have dialogue, not confrontation. We stand firm on principles, in an honest, impartial, fearless and professional manner, as what the public would expect a professional body in the legal profession would do.

    Many in Hong Kong may think that this is ‘the worst of times’ and ‘the winter of despair’. But why don’t we do what was hinted by Charles Dickens and turn it into ‘the best of times’ and ‘the spring of hope’? Let us walk together and make this happen!