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The Guardian
09-07-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
‘Creating inequality': Hong Kong's same-sex marriage registration proposal criticised
Dino Wong and Geoffrey Yu count themselves among the lucky ones. The Hong Kong couple were married in 2019, in a hastily arranged trip to the US Pacific territory of Guam. The couple, who had been together for about five years and wanted to marry, were spurred to take advantage of amended tax-exemption laws that finally recognised same-sex couples. 'I was a student and he was a doctor, so it helped a lot,' laughs Wong, now a clinical psychologist. The couple flew to the tropical island for the formalities, and then returned home for a giant banquet with family and friends. Same-sex marriage is not legal in Hong Kong. But a series of court cases have slowly established some piecemeal rights for LGBTQ+ couples in the city, including those related to public housing, inheritance law and spousal visas. The small wins have made life a little bit easier for couples like Wong and Yu, even if they have sometimes had to fly to Guam to access them. But most of these gains have been hard fought through the legal system, with activists and others bringing the government to court. While polls show public support for LGBTQ+ rights and relationships is growing in Hong Kong, the political system has gone the other way, and progressive wins are getting harder in a legislature now more dominated by conservative voices. One of the most significant wins was a September 2023 ruling by the court of final appeal, which affirmed that the city's laws defined marriage as between a man and a woman, but also said the government was obliged to create an 'alternative framework' which recognised the 'core rights' of same-sex couples. The ruling, in a case brought by the activist Jimmy Sham, gave a deadline of two years. Last week, with just months to go, the government released its proposal for the framework, but it was quickly accused of barely reaching the minimum of what was ordered. The proposal suggests a new 'registration mechanism' for same-sex couples, which would then grant them some healthcare-related rights including those relating to hospital visits, medical decisions and information access, organ donation approvals, and after-death arrangements. It did not address other 'core rights' that were expected to be included, such as housing, and it said the registry would only be available to a limited subset of same-sex couples: those where at least one partner was a Hong Kong resident, and the marriage or partnership was registered overseas. Advocates say it is a pained attempt to offer as little as possible while still complying with the order, and would create a two-tier system that only benefited couples with the financial means to go overseas or draw up legal documents to protect the rights offered by the registry. 'The government is creating inequality, making it polarised,' says Wong. The advocacy group Hong Kong Marriage Equality said the proposal did little to close the gap on the more than 100 instances of differential treatment based on relationship status across 21 areas of law, as identified by the equal opportunities commission. 'Any protection is better than none. But the proposal, as it stands, falls well short of providing the full and equal recognition that all couples and families deserve,' it said, and raised specific concern over the 'unfair' requirement that eligible couples must be registered in another country. 'We'd be in this peculiar situation where in order to enjoy a right we'd need to go through this extra step of having a relationship recognised overseas first, which is contingent on the sovereignty of another nation,' the group's co-founder Jerome Yau told the Guardian. Wong and Yu's Guam marriage means they will be able to register. 'I will still do it because I want to take advantage of this system to tell the others that, oh, the government finally recognised gay couples' existence,' says Wong. That limited recognition, however, has displeased conservative legislators, who have objected to the current proposal. The document had noted 'different views' on same-sex marriage and said it sought to strike a balance 'to avoid causing social divisions and affecting social harmony'. It also emphasised that the registered relationships were 'not equivalent to marriage'. Nevertheless the legislator Holden Chow told a committee discussion on Thursday that while his pro-Beijing DAB party opposed discrimination, they felt the proposed system threatened Hong Kong's traditional family values, RTHK reported. 'Textbooks would then need to teach the next generation that Hong Kong allows the registration of same-sex marriages,' Chow said. The pro-Beijing legislator Priscilla Leung called it a 'dark day' for traditional values, and warned against Hong Kong following 'the so-called LGBTQ trend' of other countries, calling on the government to ask to courts for a deadline extension. After Thursday's discussion, the secretary for constitutional and mainland affairs, Erick Tsang, reportedly said more improvements would be made to gain legislators' support. Even if implemented, neither Wong or Yu feel under any illusion that this is a big leap forward for marriage equality. 'A lot of our friends would never imagine that they can even have a marriage or a stable family, a stable relationship. What the government is doing now is just reinforcing that,' says Yu. 'It's telling you that this is really not for you, that it's really more for the more privileged or the foreigners or something.' Wong adds: 'That it's not really a Hong Kong thing.'
Irish Times
22-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
TV guide: The Bear returns, and the other best new shows to watch on RTÉ, Disney+, and Netflix this week
Pick of the week Natasha Wednesday, RTÉ One, 9.35pm In 2022 Natasha O'Brien was violently assaulted on a street in Limerick, in a random attack that left her bleeding and unconscious. The attacker, Cathal Crotty , was a serving soldier in the Defence Forces, and there was a public outcry when he received a suspended sentence for his cowardly and brutal act. This documentary follows O'Brien's subsequent refusal to stay silent about her treatment at the hands of a deeply flawed Irish legal system, and her subsequent battle to get justice for the trauma which was inflicted upon her. Thanks to her relentless campaigning, the DPP appealed Crotty's sentence and he was sentenced to two years in prison. With help from other women who shared their stories of facing their attackers in court, and from politicians including Labour leader Ivana Bacik and expert criminologist Dr Ian Marder, O'Brien looks at ways the system can be reformed to take ensure that victims' voices are heard. Highlights From that Small Island: The Story of the Irish Sunday, RTÉ One, 6.30pm From that Small Island: Marion Casey in New York Nigel Farage can't seem to understand why Ireland would not want to join with the UK and leave the European Union; perhaps he should watch this third episode of this landmark historical series, as it might explain why his Irexit idea went down like a lead balloon. The 17th century saw mass migration of Irish to continental Europe, displaced by the brutal conquest by Oliver Cromwell, and this episode tracks the first diaspora as they set up new lives in various European countries. The programme also follows the Irish who signed up to French, Spanish and Austrian armies in the wake of the Williamite wars at the end of the 17th century, and became known as the Wild Geese. It marked the beginning of centuries-long ties between Ireland and Europe that will take more than a few bellowing Brexiteers to break. The programme, narrated by Colin Farrell, also looks at the life of anti-slavery campaigner Daniel O'Connell, known as the Liberator, and how he influenced black abolitionist and former slave Frederick Douglass. Aistear an Amhráin Monday, RTÉ One, 7pm This series looking at the stories behind well-known songs ends with one of Ireland's most beloved bangers, An Poc ar Buile. The song was recorded in 1962 by Seán Ó Sé, and became an instant classic, but there's a tale to the tune that dates from the 17th century. The song about a mad billy goat was written in the 1940s by Donal Ó Mulláin and became associated with Puck Fair in Killorglin, Co Kerry, but the original poem it was based on has a darker meaning. An Boc ar Buile, written in the 1600s, was about a local landlord trying to exercise his right to have sexual relations with a tenant's bride on her wedding night. Given recent stories about landlords demanding sex from tenants as payment for rent, maybe the original version is due a revisit. The Gilded Age Monday, Sky Atlantic & Now, 9pm The Gilded Age Long before Sex and the City, New York was ruled by an elite coterie of well-got women, all vying for power and position in the upper echelons of high society in Upper East Side Manhattan of the 1880s. The Gilded Age is set during a period of huge transformation, when old money is under attack from a new generation of upwardly mobile industrialists and entrepreneurs, all hoping to buy their way into privilege. Louisa Jacobson stars as Marian Brook, a newcomer in New York society who arrives in the midst of a social war between the old-money Van Rhijn-Brooks and the new-money Russell family. Marian must quickly learn the rules of the game – and make up a few of her own – if she is to survive in this cut-throat world. Cynthia Nixon from SATC and Christine Baranski costar, and series three takes up the story in the aftermath of the so-called Opera War, which has given the Russells the social advantage. How will the old-money crowd hit back? This could turn into an epic confrontation. READ MORE Death in the Desert: The Nurse Helen Mystery Monday, Channel 4, 9pm Helen Smith was a young nurse working in Saudi Arabia in 1979, enjoying her adventure and making new friends in a culture very different from her own. At just 23 years old, however, Helen died in mysterious circumstances. The official story was that she fell from a balcony at a party, and her death was ruled an accident, but questions lingered over the lack of a thorough police investigation and whether her death really was accidental. This documentary looks back on Helen's life in Saudi Arabia and the political and cultural climate of the time, and tries to uncover what really happened on that balcony more than 45 years ago. Amol Rajan Goes to the Ganges Wednesday, BBC One, 9pm Amol Goes to the Ganges The Maha Kumbh Mela Festival in northern India is the world's largest religious festival, and the biggest gathering of human beings on the planet, attended by almost 500 million people from around the globe – more than the combined populations of the US and UK converging on an area the size of Manhattan. Joining them for this special documentary is journalist and presenter Amol Rajan, and he's visiting for personal reasons – to help him come to terms with the death of his father three years ago, and to reconnect with the land of his birth. The Kumbh festival happens only every dozen years, and this year's festival coincides with a rare alignment of the planets, making it extra special for pilgrims. Amol meets many of these pilgrims, all here to purify themselves in the polluted waters of the Ganges, but he also comes close to tragedy as a huge crowd surge results in the deaths of 30 people. Murder on the Doorstep: The Killer Clown Wednesday, Sky Crime & Now, 9pm Dan Reimer, who features in Murder On The Doorstep: The Killer Clown In the 1990s, a young woman, Marlene Warren, was shot dead on the doorstep of her own house in Florida by a mystery assailant. The killer had dressed as a clown to disguise their identity, but police immediately suspected Marlene's husband, Michael Warren, of his wife's murder. Their marriage was in trouble, and there were rumours of extramarital affairs, but Michael had a rock-solid alibi and the police had no proof, so he was eliminated as a suspect. Nearly 30 years later, though, police make an apparent breakthrough, charging Michael's alleged mistress Sheila Keen with Marlene's murder. But is there more to this murder than meets the eye? This three-part docuseries looks back at the investigation, interviewing investigators, witnesses, friends and family members in an attempt to unravel a very tangled web of lies and betrayal. Glastonbury 2025 Live Thursday, BBC One, 10pm The BBC's live coverage of this year's Glasto in Pilton, Sussex, kicks off on Thursday, but all this week the Beeb will be airing programmes in anticipation of the big weekend, beginning with three half-hour specials featuring Glastonbury legends from the 1970s (Monday, BBC Two, 10pm), 1980s (Tuesday, BBC Two, 10pm) and 1990s (Wednesday, BBC Two, 10pm). Clara Amfo and Lauren Laverne will be on hand at Worthy Farm to look forward to the fun in store for the weekend, which will see headline performances on the Pyramid stage by The 1975, Neil Young & the Chrome Hearts and Olivia Rodrigo. If you haven't got tickets for the festival, the BBC's coverage of the onstage action will be almost as good as the real thing – and a lot less mucky. Streaming Countdown From Wednesday, June 25th, Prime Video Countdown: Amber Oliveras and Mark Meachum A dead Homeland Security agent, a secret taskforce and a terror plot that could end in millions of deaths: maybe I won't have another consonant after all, Rachel, thank you very much. Jensen Ackles from The Boys heads the cast of this action-thriller series created by Derek Haas, the mind behind the FBI series and all its variants. Ackles is the LAPD cop Mark Meachum, who is recruited into the taskforce after the Homeland Security guy is murdered in broad daylight. The murder is just the tip of the iceberg, and soon Ackles and the team are racing to stop the bad guys from turning the citizens of LA into DOA. The Bear From Thursday, June 26th, Disney+ The Bear Chef-patron Carmy Berzatto is back in kitchen hell in the fourth series of the foodie dramedy, and he's still in pursuit of excellence in the former sandwich shop in Chicago that he inherited after the suicide of his brother, Michael. Carmy, a Michelin-star chef, has turned the dive into a fine-dining restaurant, but success is far from a done deal. Money is running out, and the kitchen is still in chaos and turmoil. Can Carmy create a calmer atmosphere in this culinary crucible? Jeremy Allen White stars as Carmy, with Ayo Edebiri, Oliver Platt and Jamie Lee Curtis among the cast. Squid Game From Friday, June 27th, Netflix How much of a gaming junkie do you have to be to go back into a game that could end in your death? In series two of the hit Korean series – Netflix's most successful non-English-language series – Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) went back into the game with a clear mission to take down the faceless organisation behind this murderous, macabre theme park, but in this third and final series he finds himself back in the Squid Game dorm after the failure of his attempted rebellion – and this time the games have been taken to even deadlier levels. Gi-hun must survive this last round and also outwit his treacherous adversary the Frontman as the tournament reaches its bloody, adrenaline-pumping climax. Smoke From Friday, June 27th, Apple TV+ The Rocket Man star Taron Egerton heads a strong cast in this new crime series about an arson investigator in pursuit of two serial pyromaniacs. Joining Egerton in the series – based on a true story – are Rafe Spall, Jurnee Smollett, Anna Chlumsky, Greg Kinnear and John Leguizamo. Egerton plays the investigator, with Smollett as the detective who becomes his reluctant partner; they'll have to find common ground if they are going to stop the firestarting spree before it gets completely out of control.
Daily Mail
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Defendants should be allowed to ask for jury-free trials to reduce court backlogs, top judge says
Defendants should be allowed to ask for a jury-free trial to reduce court backlogs, a top judge has said. Sir Brian Leveson, who is heading up a review set up by the government, is to propose a 'once in a generation' reform to tackle record court backlogs that would see the UK follow the likes of Canada, Australia and New Zealand. He is to make the recommendation to tackle delays in the legal system, which has a current backlog of 75,000 cases, forcing victims to wait four to five years for justice in many cases. Sir Brian told a conference: 'I can see the advantage in lots of cases. You will get a reasoned judgment [from a judge]. In front of a jury, you don't get a judgment at all, you get guilty or not guilty. 'The case will be undeniably speedier because the judge doesn't have to explain to the jury all the basic premises of the criminal law.' Other reforms could include sparing the public from sitting as jurors in any case scheduled to last more than 12 months due to the disruption to their lives and careers, the Telegraph reports. This could also apply to factually or legally complex cases, where jurors may struggle to understand the full details. The right to a jury trial could also be restricted for lower level offences including assaulting a police officer while resisting arrest, dangerous driving and possession of drugs. Instead, these crimes could be tried by a court comprising of a judge and two magistrates or by extending magistrates' powers to sentence offenders to up to two years in prison, double their current limit. This would mean more cases could be dealt with at a magistrates' court, freeing up more space in the crown courts for more serious offences. Speaking at the conference, Sir Brian warned that the backlog of cases could reach 100,000 if no radical action is taken. He added he believes judges should have the right to overrule a defendant's request for a judge only trial if it is in the public interest. 'There are some cases, which I would not consider appropriate for a judge to try alone, and I would give the judge a discretion,' Sir Brian said. 'So a defendant may say, 'I would like to be tried by a judge alone', and the judge would be perfectly entitled to say, 'I think not'.' Sir Brian is due to deliver his report next week to Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood, with publication expected next month.
The Independent
08-06-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Andrew Malkinson ‘not finished' fighting for reform after wrongful conviction
Andrew Malkinson, who spent 17 years in prison for a rape he did not commit, says his fight to reform the legal system's handling of miscarriages of justice is far from over. The 59-year-old had his conviction overturned in 2023 after years protesting his innocence. Mr Malkinson, who told The Sunday Times his 'life was desolated' by the wrongful conviction, says he is determined to change the justice system, starting with the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC). 'I haven't finished. I want to change a lot more,' he said. 'It's a good feeling that something so dreadful and tragic is leading to real change.' It comes amid news Dame Vera Baird KC will become the interim chairwoman of the CCRC. The barrister will take up the post from June 9 until December 8 next year, and is tasked with carrying out an urgent review into the running of the independent body and making sure lessons have been learnt from previous cases. Mr Malkinson said he remained 'incandescent' at the CCRC, as well as the Government's compensation scheme, which makes it difficult for wrongly-convicted people to receive payouts. 'This is an assault on innocent people,' he said. 'It's an assault on the public, because any member of the public could end up where I was. Anybody could be the next victim, because there will be more.' Despite having his conviction quashed in 2023, he had to wait until February to get his first compensation payment. Mr Malkinson had been living on benefits and food banks from his release until then. Under the 2014 Antisocial Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act, payments are only awarded to people who can prove innocence beyond a reasonable doubt. Ministry of Justice data showed that only 6.5% of people who had applied for compensation due to a miscarriage of justice between April 2016 and March 2024 were awarded payouts. Of 591 people who applied, 39 were granted compensation. Figures showed that 35 have since received money, with average amounts totalling £68,000. In a statement in February, lawyer Toby Wilton welcomed the payment, but said the £1 million cap on compensation payouts should be lifted. This is currently the maximum amount that can be paid to victims of miscarriages of justice who are wrongly jailed for at least 10 years. 'The Government should lift the current cap on compensation, and end the twisted quirk that whilst awards under other compensation schemes are excluded from assessment for benefits,' he said.
BBC News
04-06-2025
- General
- BBC News
New chair to do 'whatever it takes' to reform legal appeals body
The new interim chair of the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) has told the BBC she will do "whatever it takes" to reform the embattled legal appeals body. Dame Vera Baird KC said the CCRC seemed "incapable of learning from their mistakes" and she wanted to "root out" the culture causing them. Dame Vera has been tasked by the government with carrying out a review of the CCRC and to increase public confidence in the organisation and its work investigating potential miscarriages of justice. The former victims commissioner and government minister was appointed on Tuesday after her predecessor Helen Pitcher quit following the fall-out from the wrongful conviction of Andrew Malkinson. Speaking to BBC Radio 4 Today programme, Dame Vera described the CCRC as a "hugely important organisation for our criminal justice system" but criticised the agency in its current state."They seem incapable of learning from their mistakes," she said, later referencing that Mr Malkinson's case was not dissimilar to that of Victor Nealon - a man who also spent 17 years behind bars after wrongfully being convicted of attempted rape."Even as the CCRC was looking at an identical case in Malkinson [they were] failing to refer to [past cases]," Dame Vera said. "There is some inability to grasp the level of failure that is going on."She also said she is writing to body's chief executive Karen Kneller to "discuss her position" and Malkinson was accused in 2003 of raping a woman in Greater Manchester. He was later convicted and jailed for life despite no DNA linking him to the spent 17 years in prison - during which time he applied twice for his case to be reviewed by the CCRC but was turned down - and was eventually released in December 2020. Only after new evidence pointed to another potential suspect in January 2023 was his case referred to the Court of Appeal. Mr Malkinson's conviction was overturned in July 2023.A year later, an independent review found Mr Malkinson had been completely failed by the CCRC with the damning report concluding he could have been freed five years after being initially handling of the case led to Justice secretary Shabana Mahmood seeking to sack Ms Pitcher as CCRC later resigned in January. When asked if she fears there may be other cases similar to Malkinson's out there, Dame Vera said there is doubt around whether the CCRC is doing their job in a "rigorous and positive way at all". "There is a question mark over that," she said, "which stems from the cases we know that have been catastrophically handled. I think as we dig a little deeper, and as I talk to people who tried to get cases referred, we may find more."Since the Malkinson case the CCRC has initiated an internal review of cases in which DNA was an element in convictions of people for the most serious crimes. As well as planning to meet with Ms Kneller, she said she intends to talk to lawyers and some of the people who have not had their miscarriages of justice properly Vera, a criminal barrister, became an MP in 2001 and was solicitor general during Gordon Brown's administration between 2007 and 2010, one of the top legal posts in went on to become the police and crime commissioner for Northumbria Police and then the victims commissioner for England and Wales between 2019 and 2022.
