The Government's proposed amendments to the Fugitive Offenders Ordinance and the Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Ordinance are intended to pursue judicial justice in criminal cases and protect the public.

Chief Executive Carrie Lam made the statement before attending today’s Executive Council meeting, adding that serious criminals could threaten public safety.

“If there are serious criminal crime offenders who have absconded and come to Hong Kong, they are a threat to public safety. So we have reviewed the existing legislation and acknowledged that there is a loophole, and the intention of these amendments is to plug the loophole.”

Citing the case of a Hong Kong resident suspected of murdering another Hong Kong resident in Taiwan then returning to Hong Kong, Mrs Lam said the issue needed to be dealt with promptly.

“We have a case right in front of us which has caused a lot of public anxiety, a lot of anger, especially amongst the parents of the deceased.

“So we need to do this expeditiously in order to have the legal framework and the authority to deal with that particular case.”

Mrs Lam added that to alleviate the business sector’s concerns about the proposed amendments, the Secretary for Security met their representatives and explained human rights will be safeguarded under the proposed arrangement.