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Hong Kong Case Law

Prisoner disenfranchisement
  • 8 Dec 2008

    CHAN KIN SUM v. SECRETARY FOR JUSTICE AND ANOTHER

    Citation
    CHAN KIN SUM v. SECRETARY FOR JUSTICE AND ANOTHER
    Court
    Court of First Instance
    Case number
    HCAL79/2008

    Blanket and automatic disenfranchisement and the registration ban imposed by ss 31(1)(a)(b) and 53(5)(a)(b) are disproportionate and unjustified restrictions on the constitutional right to vote (Basic Law art 26 and Hong Kong Bill of Rights art 21) as applied to persons sentenced to imprisonment; remanded persons retain the right to vote in law and the EAC has a duty to make arrangements to enable detained unconvicted persons to vote in practice; EAC correctly refused change of registered address to a prison cell on the facts; applicant Leung had standing.