The UK government announced that its judges will no longer sit on Hong Kong’s top court over opposition to China’s national security law, with two Supreme Court judges resigning immediately.

Britain has called Hong Kong’s controversial security law that came into effect two years ago a breach of the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration that paved the way for the territorial handover in 1997.

China denies the law impinges on human rights and that it is needed to bring stability to Hong Kong, the scene of violent anti-government protests in 2019.

Under the Basic Law – Hong Kong’s mini-constitution – senior judges from common law jurisdictions are able to sit as non-permanent members of the Court of Final Appeal.

There are foreign judges in 10 other Hong Kong courts from Britain, Canada and Australia who will likely face calls to follow suit.

Aljazeera/Agencies.