Hong Kong legal aid overhaul fuels worries

Critics say poorer defendants may not be able to choose their own lawyers

20211026 Hong Kong court

More than 2,500 people still face prosecution in Hong Kong over charges related to anti-government protests in 2019. © Reuters

PAK YIU, Nikkei staff writer

HONG KONG -- A proposal by the Hong Kong government to assign lawyers to legal aid applicants in criminal cases is raising concerns over defendants' rights in the territory.

Under the plan presented to the Legislative Council on Tuesday, criminal defendants will no longer be allowed to pick the lawyer of their choice in most cases.

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