Derek Pang Explained

Honorific-Prefix:The Honourable Mr Justice
Derek Pang Wai-cheong
Honorific-Suffix:JA
Native Name Lang:zh-hk
Office:Justice of Appeal of the Court of Appeal of the High Court
Term Start:2015
Office2:Designated National Security Law Judge
Term Start2:2021
Appointer2:Carrie Lam
Office3:Judge of the Court of First Instance of the High Court
Term Start3:2009
Term End3:2015
Office4:District Judge
Term Start4:2000
Term End4:2009
Birth Place:Hong Kong
Alma Mater:University of East Anglia
University of Hong Kong
Peking University

Derek Pang Wai-cheong (; born 1961) is a Hong Kong judge and has been serving as Justice of Appeal of the Court of Appeal of the High Court of Hong Kong since September 2015.

He is President of the Friends of Scouting of Hong Kong.[1]

Legal career

He was educated at the University of East Anglia (LLB, 1985), the University of Hong Kong (MPA, 1990), and Peking University (LLB, 1995).

He was called to the English and Hong Kong Bar in 1986 and 1987 respectively. He joined the Hong Kong Legal Department as Crown Counsel in 1987, and was promoted to Deputy Principal Government Counsel in 1997.[2]

Judicial career

In 2000, Pang was appointed a District Judge.[2] He was subsequently appointed a Judge of the Court of First Instance of the High Court in 2009.[3] He was made a Justice of Appeal of the Court of Appeal in 2015.[4]

On 21 September 2018, Pang was elected a Bencher of the Middle Temple.[5]

In May 2023, the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC) of the United States Congress suggested the United States government imposing sanctions on Pang to counter the erosion of democratic freedoms in Hong Kong over his handling of Jimmy Lai's national security law case.[6] [7]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2019/2020 Officers. Scout Association of Hong Kong. 9 March 2020. 20 July 2009.
  2. Web site: Press Release - Judicial Appointments. Government of Hong Kong. 20 January 2000.
  3. Web site: Press Releases - Judicial Appointments. Government of Hong Kong. 24 September 2009.
  4. Web site: Press Releases - Judicial Appointments. Government of Hong Kong. 16 September 2015.
  5. Web site: Masters of the Bench: The Hon Mr Justice Pang JA . . 12 May 2022.
  6. News: [ONE CITY, TWO LEGAL SYSTEMS: HONG KONG JUDGES’ ROLE IN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS UNDER THE NATIONAL SECURITY LAW ONE CITY, TWO LEGAL SYSTEMS: HONG KONG JUDGES' ROLE IN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS UNDER THE NATIONAL SECURITY LAW]. Congressional-Executive Commission on China. 10 May 2023.
  7. News: Judges cannot impose sentences for serious national security crimes lighter than mandatory minimum, Hong Kong court hears. 24 October 2022. South China Morning Post.