The next seminar of the 10th Year Greater China Legal History Seminar Series organised by CUHK LAW titled "Deportation in Hong Kong History" will be delivered by Dr. Christopher C. Munn, Honorary Associate Professor, Department of History, The University of Hong Kong on 21 March 2025.
About the seminar:
In the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the Hong Kong government deported tens of thousands of people it deemed a threat to the peace and good order of the colony. The deportees included convicted prisoners, political activists, instigators of strikes, triad society members, newspaper editors and other 'dangerous persons,' as well as beggars, gamblers, prostitutes, fortune-tellers and other social nuisances. Carried out within a system of free immigration, the deportation system relied on the premise that the great majority of Hong Kong's inhabitants were aliens; it also required access to mainland China as a destination for deportees. Deportation served as both an adjunct and an alternative to the judicial system. It was a secret process administered by the executive under a complex system of laws. The courts might recommend or order deportation in certain cases. Otherwise, they usually only became involved if a person breached a deportation order, for which there were severe punishments, or in the rare challenges to deportation through judicial review.
Focusing on the period 1857-1955, this seminar explores the legal background of deportation in British Hong Kong, the experiences of some deportees, and the impact of deportation on justice and society in Hong Kong.
To attend, please register here.