Barrister group asks court to overturn decision clearing democrat Margaret Ng of misconduct linked to 2019 protest conviction

The Hong Kong Bar Association (HKBA) has petitioned a court to overturn its own disciplinary board's decision clearing pro-democracy advocate Margaret Ng of misconduct related to her 2019 protest conviction. The legal challenge was filed at the High Court on Friday, as reported by local media. The controversy arose after the Barristers Disciplinary Tribunal determined in June that the allegations against Ng were unsubstantiated.

Ng was cleared in 2023 of organizing a demonstration, despite being convicted five years prior for participating in an unauthorized assembly during the 2019 protests. Ng and six other activists were acquitted of the charges in April 2021, but lost their appeal at the Court of Final Appeal in August 2024. The HKBA argues that Ng's conviction should have initiated the complaint against her.

In their application for judicial review, the HKBA cited Amanda Woodcock's comments during the trial, stating that the defendants deliberately challenged police authority and disregarded the law. The Bar Association asserts that Ng's actions deepened societal divisions in Hong Kong and that the system's integrity must be upheld.

As the professional regulator of barristers, the HKBA claims it must take necessary steps to maintain the regulatory system's integrity. The association stated that it cannot comment on the specific case due to ongoing legal procedures, but emphasized that the court should determine whether the complaint against Ng is substantiated or order the formation of a new disciplinary board to examine the matter.