Maggie Yang confirmed as new prosecutions chief

The Department of Justice on Friday confirmed the appointment of Maggie Yang as Hong Kong’s new director of public prosecutions.

Earlier this year, Yang led the prosecution of 47 pro-democracy figures charged with violating the national security law for taking part in primary polls last year for the later cancelled Legco elections.

She now takes on the role vacated by David Leung, who left the position at the end of last year.

He had said in an internal e-mail that he “didn’t see eye to eye” with Justice Secretary Teresa Cheng over how the prosecutions department was run.

A government statement said Yang was admitted as a solicitor in Britain in 1992 and Hong Kong in 1993, and was called to the Bar this year.

“Ms Yang is a lawyer of outstanding abilities and integrity. I am confident that she is competent to lead the prosecutions division to rise to the challenges ahead and discharge her role in a fair and impartial manner,” Cheng said.