The following is issued on behalf of the Judiciary:
 
     The Judiciary has decided to adjust the admission arrangements for a forthcoming High Court hearing on February 18 (Thursday), where an excessive demand for seats is expected.
 
       As indicated in the e-hearing date enquiry service, the High Court will hear a case concerning the application for bail under the National Security Law on February 18.
      
       Having reviewed the public attendance arrangements for the Court of Final Appeal hearings on February 1 and February 9 for a similar case, the Judiciary has decided to adopt similar admission arrangements for the aforesaid High Court hearing. 
      
     Around 100 seats and standing places will be reserved for members of the public. A non-transferable admission wrist band (in lieu of admission ticket) will be allocated to each attendee on a first-come, first-served basis. Operational experience at the hearing on February 9 indicates that a non-transferrable wrist band is a more effective means of ensuring a fair admission order and allocation of seats based on the first-come, first-served principle.
 
       Courts users who wish to attend the hearing will be required to line up at designated areas at the LG4/F podium outside the High Court Building. To ensure orderly arrangements and fairness, no queue-jumping and no queuing for others will be allowed. Court users should follow the instructions of the Judiciary staff and security personnel.
 
     To ensure fair and optimal use of the limited number of seats during the hearing, any seat or standing place which has been left vacant for 15 minutes or more during the court hearing will be re-allocated to another court user. Each newly admitted court user will be given a new wrist band. This requirement is generally in line with the existing condition prescribed in the admission tickets of the High Court that the ticket will be no longer valid if the ticket holder has left his/her seat/place for 15 minutes or more.

Ends/Tuesday, February 16, 2021
Issued at HKT 16:25

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