The Judiciary will launch a two-year pilot scheme involving live broadcasts of substantive appellate proceedings in the Court of Final Appeal (CFA) on April 1.

The first two hearings under the scheme will be broadcast live on April 1 and 7.

Members of the public may view the webcasts by visiting the CFA website on computers or mobile devices installed with common browsers.

The Judiciary said the move will enhance the transparency of court procedures and strengthen public confidence in the judicial process.

It plans to implement live broadcasting for all substantive appeal cases in the CFA, except for cases where protection of the interests of children or mentally disabled adults, privacy, trade secrets or commercial confidentiality is required.

Proceedings related to national security, high-profile public order cases, and highly politically charged cases will also be exceptions.

The Judiciary explained that these exceptions are intended to preserve judicial decorum, prevent excessive pressure on litigants and lawyers, and safeguard the fair and proper administration of justice.

Where such exceptions apply, people may still attend the hearings in person, unless otherwise directed by the CFA.

Members of the public, including the media, must not record live webcasts or use live broadcast footage for any purpose.

After each live webcast ends, video of the court proceedings will be uploaded to and kept on the CFA website for one month.

The Judiciary conducted four trial runs, featuring live broadcasts of court proceedings in four selected CFA cases, last year, in order to test the technical, logistical and operational arrangements. 

Under the pilot scheme, the live broadcasts will be conducted on the Judiciary’s in-house platform, replacing the outsourcing arrangements used in the four trial runs. The Judiciary said this approach will ensure the most cost-effective use of public resources.

Upon completion of the pilot scheme, the Judiciary will review and consider long-term arrangements for live broadcasting of court proceedings.