| Director of Public Prosecutions | |
|---|---|
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| Appointer | Secretary for Justice |
| Term length | Varies (contract based); mandatory retirement age of 60 |
| Inaugural holder | Peter Van Tu Nguyen, QC, SC, 1997 |
| Formation | Hong Kong Basic Law 1 July 1997 |
The Director of Public Prosecutions of Hong Kong (DPP) is a law officer and head of the Prosecutions Division of the Department of Justice; the director is responsible for directing the conduct of trials and appeals on behalf of Hong Kong, providing legal advice to law enforcement agencies (such as Hong Kong Police, Hong Kong Customs and Excise, and ICAC), exercising the discretion of whether to institute criminal proceedings, and providing advice to others in government on proposed changes to the criminal law.
Former directors include David Leung SC, a lifelong prosecutor who joined the Prosecutions Division in 1995; he was appointed director in 2017. Leung resigned on 31 July 2020, citing differences with Secretary for Justice Teresa Cheng, leaving the post at the end of the year.[1]
The current director is Maggie Yang Mei-kei. She was appointed director on 13 August 2021 and is the first woman and non-Queen's Counsel to be appointed director.[2]
- ^ "Director of public prosecutions quits post". RTHK. 31 July 2020. Archived from the original on 25 June 2021.
- ^ "Appointment of Director of Public Prosecutions (with photo)". Hong Kong Government Press Releases. 13 August 2021.