Amina Bokhary controversy

The Amina Bokhary controversy occurred in Hong Kong in 2010 involving the assault conviction of a wealthy woman from a well-connected family. Amina Mariam Bokhary, 32, received a sentence of probation (a non-custodial sentence) and a one-year driving ban following an incident in the aftermath of a road traffic accident when she struck several police officers. She had committed similar offences in 2001 and 2008.

The perceived leniency in her sentence provoked an uproar in Hong Kong for alleged preferential treatment. In particular, the presiding judge caused outrage when he said in his judgment that Bokhary had an "unblemished background and was born into a good family with caring parents [and] an outstanding academic record". The comment highlighted the public perception of widening inequality and increasing disparities in the balance of power between different social classes in Hong Kong. The judge came under pressure to reconsider his decision but he declined to vary his order upon review. Pundits also blamed the Department of Justice for charging her with an offence carrying a lesser maximum penalty; the Department of Justice appealed her sentence.

Opinion polls carried out indicated that the public's confidence in the judiciary and the impartiality of the courts had been shaken in light of the incident. Ultimately, Bokhary breached her conditions of probation and was re-sentenced to six weeks' imprisonment. On appeal, her driving ban was extended by two years.