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HCAL 1271/2023
[2026] HKCFI 2889
IN THE HIGH COURT OF THE
HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION
COURT OF FIRST INSTANCE
CONSTITUTIONAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE LAW LIST NO 1271 OF 2023
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BETWEEN
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Pham Thi Ngan |
Applicant |
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and |
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Torture Claims Appeal Board |
Putative |
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Respondent |
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and |
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Director of Immigration |
Putative |
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Interested Party |
Application for Leave to Apply for Judicial Review
NOTIFICATION of the Judge’s decision (Order 53, rule 3)
Following:
Order by Deputy High Court Judge Michael WONG:
1. On this court’s own motion, the name of the putative respondent be amended to “Torture Claims Appeal Board”, “Director of Immigration” be added as the putative interested party, and the decision in respect of which relief is sought be amended to “Torture Claims Appeal Board’s decision dated 18 July 2023”.
2. The applicant’s application to withdraw the application for leave to apply for judicial review be refused.
3. The applicant’s application for leave to apply for judicial review be dismissed.
Observations for the applicant:
The Leave Application
1. By way of Form 86 dated and filed on 25 July 2023, the applicant applied for leave to apply for judicial review (“the Leave Application”) in respect of the decision of the Torture Claims Appeal Board (“the Board”) dated 14 July 2023. However, the applicant had attached a wrong copy of the Board’s decision to her supporting affirmation dated 25 July 2023. The Board’s decision in respect of the applicant’s case should be dated 18 July 2023 (“the Board’s Decision”).
2. The Board found that the applicant failed to establish her non-refoulement claim on any of the applicable grounds under the Unified Screening Mechanism. Hence, the Board dismissed the applicant’s appeal/petition against the decision of the Director of Immigration (“the Director”) dated 22 August 2022 and affirmed the same, which rejected the applicant’s non-refoulement claim.
Amendments
3. The applicant named the Board / the Non-refoulement Claims Petition office and the Director as the putative respondents, and did not name any putative interested party in Form 86. In fact, only the Board should be the putative respondent, and the Director should be the putative interested party.
4. The Non-refoulement Claims Petition Office is just an office providing administrative and secretariat support to the adjudicators of the Board, and should not be named as a putative respondent at all.
5. As aforesaid, the Board’s Decision should be dated 18 July 2023 instead of 14 July 2023.
6. Thus, on this court’s own motion, the name of the putative respondent is amended to “Torture Claims Appeal Board”, the Director is added as the putative interested party, and the decision in respect of which relief is sought is amended to “Torture Claims Appeal Board’s decision dated 18 July 2023”.
The applicant’s case
7. The applicant claimed for non-refoulement protection because if refouled to Vietnam, she would be harmed or killed by a moneylender named Pham Thanh Tuan due to her inability to repay the loan borrowed from the moneylender.
Withdrawal of the Leave Application
8. Before the Leave Application was dealt with, the applicant filed an ex-parte application by way of her affirmation dated 27 April 2026 and sent a letter dated 27 April 2026 to this court to withdraw the Leave Application. In both the applicant’s said affirmation and letter, she stated that it was safe for her to return to her country and she would like to return to her country as soon as possible.
9. There is no evidence to show that the applicant made the above withdrawal application other than out of her own volition. With this withdrawal application, it is clear that the applicant no longer wishes to proceed with the Leave Application or any oral hearing for the Leave Application. It is therefore not necessary for this court to afford her any oral hearing for the Leave Application even though she had requested one before.
10. However, the Court of Appeal had held in Re Manik Md Mahamudun Nabi [2022] HKCA 471 that:-
“The applicant on his own motion applied to the Court to withdraw his application for leave to apply for judicial review. The Judge acceded to his application, whereupon there was nothing outstanding in the action. The Judge was correct to conclude the action by ordering a dismissal of the application instead of leaving the action at large.”
11. Thus, it is right for this court to deal with the Leave Application instead of leaving the action at large by granting leave to the applicant to withdraw the Leave Application. The applicant’s application to withdraw the Leave Application is therefore refused, and this court will proceed to consider the Leave Application.
Discussion
12. It is not necessary for this court to discuss the merits of the intended judicial review any more, as the applicant had confirmed that it was safe for her to return to her country. In other words, the basis of her non-refoulement claim no longer exists.
13. It is clear that the applicant no longer needs non-refoulement protection and the intended judicial review serves no practical purpose.
14. It is well established that the court may exercise discretion not to grant a remedy on judicial review if it would serve no practical purpose, where it may have become otiose or pointless to grant a remedy because the relevant detriment to the applicant has been removed (see AW v Director of Immigration and William Lam, CACV 63 of 2015).
15. Even assuming that there were errors of law, procedural unfairness or irrationality in the Board’s Decision and the case were remitted to the Board for reconsideration, there would simply be no more basis for the applicant to claim non-refoulement protection as it was no longer unsafe for her to return to her own country. The Board should assess the risk of the applicant at the time of the proceedings, taking account of information that has come to light to ensure that it is able to make a “full and up-to-date assessment” of the current situation (see Ubamaka Edward Wilson v Secretary for Security and Another (2012) 15 HKCFAR 743).
16. It is therefore otiose and pointless to grant leave to the applicant to proceed with the intended judicial review even if there were merits in it. Thus, the Leave Application ought to be dismissed.
Conclusion
17. For reasons aforesaid, the application to withdraw the Leave Application is refused and the Leave Application is dismissed.
Dated the 20th day of May 2026
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( Gladys LEE )
for Registrar, High Court
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Where leave to apply has been granted, applicants and their legal advisers are reminded of their obligation to reconsider the merits of their application in the light of the respondent’s evidence
Notes for the applicant:
If leave has been granted, the applicant or his solicitors must:
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a) serve on the respondent and such interested parties as may be directed by the Court the order granting leave and any directions given within 14 days after the leave was granted (Order 53, rule 4A);
b) issue the originating summons within 14 days after the grant of leave and serve it in accordance with Order 53, rule 5; and
c) supply to every other party copies of every affidavit which the Applicant proposes to use at the hearing, including the affidavit in support of the application for leave (Order 53, rule 6(5)).
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Sent/Handed to the applicant/the applicant’s solicitors on: 20/05/2026
Applicant’s ref. no:
Nil |
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Sent/Handed to the putative respondent / the putative respondent’s solicitors / such putative interested parties as may be directed by the Court / the putative interested parties’ solicitors on: 20/05/2026
Torture Claims Appeal Board/Non-refoulement Claims Petition Office
Putative respondent’s ref. no.:
USM 20863
Director of Immigration
Putative interested party’s ref. no.:
QA T/C 625/22 (formerly RBCZ 5000524/22)
Department of Justice,
Senior Assistant Law Officer
(Civil Law)
(Civil Litigation Unit 2) |
Form CALL-1
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