{"id":8194,"date":"2021-01-14T15:15:39","date_gmt":"2021-01-14T15:15:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.scmp.com\/news\/hong-kong\/law-and-crime\/article\/3117801\/hong-kong-justice-department-asks-greater-role"},"modified":"2021-01-14T15:15:39","modified_gmt":"2021-01-14T15:15:39","slug":"hong-kong-justice-department-asks-for-greater-role-in-suggesting-punishments-for-certain-offences","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/2021\/01\/14\/hong-kong-justice-department-asks-for-greater-role-in-suggesting-punishments-for-certain-offences\/","title":{"rendered":"Hong Kong justice department asks for greater role in suggesting punishments for certain offences"},"content":{"rendered":"Hong Kong\u2019s justice department has asked an appeal court to remove a three-decade old rule and allow prosecutors to recommend specific punishments for certain offenders, but a judge declined to immediately consider the request given its potential \u201chuge impact\u201d on the legal system.The suggestion was made during a sentence review hearing on Thursday, where a senior prosecutor asked three appeal justices to hand down a heavier penalty to a 16-year-old who was given a three-year probation for\u2026\n