Hong Kong gag order: Don’t restrict media over university controversy on appointment of top manager, urges barrister
Barrister martin Lee makes argument against injunction barring disclosure of details of university council discussion on top manager
The reasons for not appointing a democracy supporter to a pro-vice-chancellor post at the University of Hong Kong were a matter of public interest for which restrictions should not be imposed on the press, the High Court heard yesterday.
Barrister Martin Lee Chu-ming SC, representing Chinese-language newspaper , argued that the public had the right to know why the university's governing council had rejected the appointment of Professor Johannes Chan Man-mun.
Lee urged Mr Justice Godfrey Lam Wan-ho not to extend the interim injunction that the university sought to prevent details of council meetings being revealed to the public.
READ MORE: Judge 'concerned' over Hong Kong University's gag order as city's media prepare to fight for press freedom
"What is so important that the court should restrict its disclosure?" Lee asked.
"Strong public interest is involved in this matter. When they know the reasons, or the way the people [in the council] gave their reasons, it may help them to have a debate about the subject."
The university is asking the court to extend the interim order to ban further release of information about the council's closed-door meeting in September until a full hearing is held.
The council discussed the appointment of Chan in June and voted it down in September. Critics said the council's move was politically motivated.
