*Joint Statement of All Members of the Legal Subsector of the Election Committee*

1. We condemn the unlawful use of force by anyone in peaceful protest.

2. In particular, we express grave concern over the excessive use of force by the Hong Kong Police Force (“the Police”) against protesters in the vicinity of Admiralty on 12 June 2019.

3. We note that the Police General Order 29-01 on “Use of Force” states, inter alia, that:

(a) a police officer should “exercise a high degree of restraint when dealing with the public”;

(b) a police officer “shall not resort to the use of force unless such action is strictly necessary and he is otherwise unable to effect his lawful purpose”;

(c) “only the minimum force necessary to achieve the purpose may be used and once that purpose has been achieved, the use of force shall cease”; and

(d) “[t]he force used must be reasonable in the circumstances”.

4. Furthermore, we echo the remark expressed by the Appeal Committee of the Court of Final Appeal in HKSAR v Chu Frankly（朱經緯） (2019) 22 HKCFAR 1 at paragraph 20 that, irrespective of the difficult circumstances that may be faced by the Police, “a violation of the law involving the unwarranted use of force against a member of the public cannot be condoned”.

5. Therefore:

(1) we strongly urge the Police to strictly observe the requirements in the Police General Order set out above; and

(2) we call for an independent inquiry into the excessive use of force by the Police against members of the public (including protesters and members of the press) on 12 June 2019.

陳景生 Chan King Sang Edward SC
戴啟思 Dykes Philip John SC
梁家傑 Leong Kah Kit Alan SC
夏偉志 Harris Graham Anthony SC
彭耀鴻 Pang Yiu Hung Robert SC
潘熙 Pun Hei Hectar SC
查錫我 Char Shik Ngor Stephen
鄭瑞泰 Cheng Shui Tai
張達明 Cheung Tat Ming Eric
張惠儀 Cheung Wai Yee Betty
張耀良 Cheung Yiu Leung
關尚義 Clancey John Joseph
何俊麒 Ho Chun Ki Frederick
何俊仁 Ho Chun Yan Albert
郭憬憲 Kwok King Hin Douglas
林洋鋐 Lam Kenneth
廖成利 Liu Sing Lee Bruce 
文浩正 Man Ho Ching Jonathan
吳思諾 Ng Sze Nok Senia
潘淑瑛 Poon Suk Ying Debora
石書銘 Shek Randy Shu Ming
譚俊傑 Tam Chun Kit Jeffrey
韋智達 Vidler Michael John
黃鶴鳴 Wong Hok Ming Alan
王學今 Wong Huk Kam
黃國桐 Wong Kwok Tung Daniel 
黃瑞紅 Wong Shui Hung Linda
黃宇逸 Wong Yu Yat Anson
葉海琅 Yip Hoi Long Richard
阮陳淑怡 Yuen Chan Suk Yee Helena

June 13, 2019