International Criminal Justice in the Contemporary Asia-Pacific Region

    The University of Hong Kong (HKU)’s Faculty of Law and Centre for Comparative and Public Law (CCPL) held a workshop entitled “International Criminal Justice in the Contemporary Asia-Pacific Region” on 12 and 13 September 2025. The Workshop was conceived and overseen by Dr Suhong Yang and Professor Simon Young. As a key activity celebrating the 30th anniversary of CCPL, it was organised with the support of the Hong Kong International Legal Talents Training Academy (HKILTTA). After the welcome remarks by Professor Young and HKILTTA Director Dr Ling Yang, Judge Daqun Liu (China, UN International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals), Judge Raul Cano Pangalangan (Philippines, International Criminal Court (ICC)), and Judge Chang-ho Chung (South Korea, ICC) delivered their keynote speeches. The workshop featured prominent scholars and practitioners across Asia, Australia, Europe, and America, including Judge Nina HB Jørgensen (Norway, Kosovo Specialist Chambers), Judge Margaret M deGuzman (United States, UN International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals), Dr James Ding (HKSAR Department of Justice), Professor Sarah Williams (University of New South Wales), and many more. The High Court of Hong Kong also hosted a visit for the workshop participants, during which participants observed part of a criminal jury trial.

    The event was a great success with brilliant papers presented by speakers and insightful comments from assigned discussants. The workshop included six panels, addressing the following areas: domestic prosecutions and universal jurisdiction, ICC and Asia Pacific States, perspectives in China and Hong Kong SAR, hybrid courts and alternative justice, international criminal justice and public international law, and responsibilities and punishment. A detailed programme can be found here. The organisers and participants plan to publish the papers in an edited collection by a leading international publisher. This workshop not only advances the research on international criminal justice and the Asia-Pacific Region, but also serves to reinforce Hong Kong’s profile as an international legal hub.