RE NGUYEN THI GIANG

HCAL 1292/2018

[2021] HKCFI 1933

IN THE HIGH COURT OF THE

HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION

COURT OF FIRST INSTANCE

CONSTITUTIONAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE LAW LIST

NO 1292 OF 2018

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D E C I S I O N

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1.  The applicant filed a summons dated 24 May 2021 for extension of time to appeal against the Court’s decision as described below.

2.  The applicant is a Vietnamese national.  She was arrested by police for remaining in Hong Kong unlawfully and theft.  She was convicted and sentenced to 15 months’ imprisonment.  On 7 March 2014 she lodged her non-refoulement claim.

3.  By Notice of Decision dated 19 July 2017 (“the Director’s Decision”), the Director rejected her claim and she appealed to the Appeal Board/Non-refoulement Claims Petition Office (the “Board”).  The Board considered her appeal and by its Decision dated 8 March 2018 (“the Board’s Decision”), it refused her appeal and affirmed the Director’s Decision.

4.  The applicant applied to the High Court for leave to apply for judicial review of the Board’s Decision.  Her application was out time and she asked for extension of time for her application.  Having considered the merits of the case, by Order dated 11 March 2021 (“the Court’s decision”), the Court found that there was no merit in her proposed judicial review.  The Court refused to grant the extension of time as requested and dismissed her application for leave to apply for judicial review.

5.  In her affirmation in support of this application, the applicant did not explain why she is late for her appeal. She simply repeated her story of being chased by her creditor in Vietnam.

6.  By virtue of Order 32, rules 11(1) and 11A(1)(a) of the Rules of the High Court (“RHC”), I decide to determine this application without an oral hearing.

7.  In Re Adumekwe Rowland Ejike [2019] HKCA 702, the Court of Appeal held:

“19. The prospect of success of the intended appeal is important: the court will not grant extension for a hopeless appeal to be pursued, see Re Rahman Wasif [2019] HKCA 299 at [13]; Re Kpamou Gbotoi Bernard [2019] HKCA 168; and Re Irshad Muhammad [2018] HKCA 864 at [16].”

8.  The Board had considered the Director’s Decision.  It rejected her appeal on the grounds that the creditors had no intention of harming her severely as she had not received any serious injury at all; that she failed to prove any risk under all the applicable grounds and further that internal relocation was an option open to her.  See paragraphs 32 - 47 of the Board’s Decision.

9.  There is no evidence to show that the Board erred in its finding of the facts or the application of the law to her case.

10.  Her reasons in her affirmation in support of this application do not assist her.

11.  Since there is no reasonable prospect of success in her intended appeal, I decline to extend time for her intended appeal.

12.  I dismiss her application.