The 10th Hong Kong Human Rights Moot 2021, Co-Organised by CPLR & Vidler & Co. Solicitors
The 10th Hong Kong Human Rights Moot (HKHR Moot) was an inter-university competition co-organised by Vidler & Co. Solicitors and the Public Law and Human Rights Forum (CPLR) of CityU School of Law and co-hosted by the University of Hong Kong (HKU) and the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK). The competition was first launched in 2010 by Vidler & Co. Solicitors to raise awareness amongst law students of Hong Kong human rights issues. Previous moot questions have touched upon a diverse range of issues, including the right to demonstrate, recognition of foreign registered same-sex marriages, prisoners’ rights, race discrimination and freedom of expression.
On 6 February 2021, the three law schools conducted their own Preliminary Rounds and selected a winning team to represent each school in the finals: 89 teams (17 from CityU, 42 from HKU and 30 from CUHK) making up a total of 178 students participated in the Preliminary Rounds. Garnet LI and Marcus WONG from the CityU, Jill KAM and Kenny CHAN of the HKU, as well as Kerry POON and Thomas WONG from the CUHK overcame fierce competition for their places in the Final Round. Dr Mark KIELSGARD (CityU School of Law), Mr Geoffrey YUNG (Denis Chang’s Chambers) and Mr Joshua BAKER (Prince’s Chambers) were invited to act as mentors for the teams, respectively.
Due to COVID-19 social distancing rules, on 27 March 2021, the Final Round took place at the CityU Moot Court without live audiences and was live-streamed in front of an online audience registering of over 100. The moot was adjudicated by a distinguished panel of judges: Mr Justice Kevin ZERVOS, JA (Justice of Appeal of the Court of Appeal of the High Court); Mr Abraham CHAN, SC (Temple Chambers); and Mr Timothy PARKER (Denis Chang’s Chambers).
Mr Abraham CHAN, SC, Mr Justice Kevin ZERVOS, JA and Mr Timothy PARKER (from left to right)
The finalist teams from the CityU, HKU and CUHK competed against each other in three hypothetical appeals before the Court of Appeal. The appeals comprised issues on (1) government quarantine requirements related to Cupid-21 (a dangerous virus that has spread worldwide); (2) privacy concerning the secret use of potentially unlawful facial recognition technology as part of “track and trace” procedures; (3) protection of a confidential journalistic “whistle-blower” source; and (4) the tort of misfeasance in public office by Commissioner of Police in ignoring independent legal advice that the surveillance system was unlawful. This year’s moot problem was kindly drafted by Mr Timothy PARKER (Denis Chang’s Chambers) and Mr Albert WONG (Bernacchi Chambers).
“Winner Award” – Thomas WONG and Kerry POON (CUHK) "Best Skeleton Argument Award” - Garnet LI and Marcus WONG (CityU)
“Best Oralist Award” – Jill LAM (HKU)
The “Winner Award” of the 10th HKHR Moot 2021 went to Kerry POON and Thomas WONG of CUHK. The “Best Skeleton Argument Award” was given to Garnet LLIi and Marcus WONG from CityU. The “Best Oralist Award” went to Jill LAM of HKU. Congratulations to all winners and thank you to all participants for their very committed contributions.
On behalf of the organisers, we would like to thank the sponsors (Mr Michael VIDLER of Vidler & Co. Solicitors and Dr Mark KIELSGARD of CPLR of CityU), the distinguished adjudicating panel and the mentors of finalists. Our thanks also go to Mr Suhail BINDRA (Trainee Solicitor at Vidler & Co. Solicitors) and Ms Michelle FONG (Research Assistant of CPLR of CityU) who organised this year’s moot with the able assistance of Ms Clare LI and her team from the HKU Advocacy and Mooting Society, as well as Ms Bianca REYES and her team from the CUHK Mooting Society.
第十屆香港人權模擬法庭比賽由韋智達律師行及香港城市大學 ( 城大 ) 法律學院公法與人權論壇 ( CPLR ) 聯合主辦，香港大學 ( 港大 ) 及香港中文大學 ( 中大 ) 協辦。這項比賽於2010年由韋智達律師行首辦，旨在提高法律學生對香港人權議題的認識。過往模擬法庭辯題包括示威自由、承認外國登記的同性婚姻、囚犯權利、種族歧視和言論自由等。
香港三間法律學院於2021年2月6日分別舉行預賽，吸引了89支隊伍 ( 其中城大佔17支隊伍、港大42支隊伍、中大30支隊伍，共178名學生 ) 參與。經過一輪激烈競爭，三支入圍決賽的代表隊為：城大的李海琦及黃樂恆、港大的林芷譽及陳建平，以及中大的潘曉琳及黃奕澄。城大法律學院副教授Mark Kielsgard博士、Denis Chang's Chambers楊嘉瑋大律師，及Prince’s Chambers Joshua Baker大律師分別受邀擔任各隊導師。
為配合政府有關2019冠狀病毒病的社交距離措施，是次香港人權模擬法庭決賽不設現場觀眾，採用網上直播，吸引逾百名觀眾登記觀看。決賽評判團包括：高等法院上訴法庭薛偉成法官、Temple Chambers陳樂信資深大律師，以及Denis Chang’s Chambers 白天賜大律師。
左至右: 陳樂信資深大律師、 薛偉成法官、白天賜大律師
決賽模擬高等法院上訴法庭，三支入圍代表隊進行了三場辯論。模擬辦題由Denis Chang’s Chambers 白天賜大律師及Bernacchi Chambers黃雅斌大律師草擬，涵蓋以下問題：(1) 政府因應Cupid-21 ( 一種在全球各國大規模爆發的傳染病 ) 對抵港人士的隔離檢疫安排；(2) 非法使用容貌識別技術，以追蹤特定人物的行蹤所引致的私隱爭議；(3) 保護新聞工作者保密消息來源；及(4) 警務處處長涉嫌公職人員行為失當，無視獨立法律意見，採用非法監察系統
第十屆香港人權模擬法庭比賽最佳隊伍獎由中大的潘曉琳及黃奕澄奪得。城大的李海琦及黃樂恆獲取最佳書面陳述獎。港大的林芷譽則贏得最佳訟辯員獎。在此，CPLR祝賀所有獲獎者，並感謝所有參與者的不懈努力。
最佳隊伍獎–黃奕澄及潘曉琳 (中大) 最佳書面陳述獎–李海琦及黃樂恆 (城大)
最佳訟辯員獎–林芷譽 (港大)
最後，CPLR謹代表主辦單位感謝是次比賽發起人韋智達律師 ( 韋智達律師行 ) 及 Mark Kielsgard副教授 ( 城大法律學院CPLR副主任 ) 、評判團，和各代表隊導師。同時感謝比賽統籌員Suhail Bindra見習律師 ( 韋智達律師行 ) 及 方家怡女士 ( 城大法律學院CPLR研究助理 ) ，以及李心喬女士及其港大辯護及模擬法庭學會團隊、Bianca Reyes女士及其中大模擬法庭學會團隊的支援。