Hong Kong Secretary for Security Tang Ping-keung (right) and Minister of Justice of the Russian Federation Konstantin Chuychenko (left) sign bilateral agreements on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters and on the transfer of sentenced persons through video conference at the Central Government Offices on Sept 21, 2021. (PHOTO / HKSAR GOVERNMENT)
HONG KONG – The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government and Russia signed on Tuesday bilateral agreements on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters and on the transfer of sentenced persons.
In a statement, the HKSAR government said Secretary for Security Tang Ping-keung and Minister of Justice of the Russian Federation Konstantin Chuychenko signed the two agreements through a video conference.
"Both Hong Kong and Russia are committed players in the international efforts to fight crimes. The signing of the agreements on MLA and TSP today represents an important step forward in legal co-operation between Hong Kong and Russia," Tang was quoted as saying in the statement.
Under the Basic Law, the HKSAR government may make appropriate arrangements with foreign states for reciprocal legal assistance with the approval of the central government.
The MLA agreement covers assistance on identifying and locating persons, serving documents, taking evidence, executing requests for search and seizure, providing information, and confiscating proceeds of criminal activities.
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On the other hand, the TSP agreement allows Hong Kong residents convicted in Russia to serve out their prison sentence in the HKSAR while Russians jailed in Hong Kong can also ask for a similar arrangement.