我不會跟你說,示威者因為有崇高理想,即使違法也是正確。那不是法治。 I won’t tell you, it is fine for the protestors to break the law because they have a noble cause. This is not the rule of law.
同樣地,你跟我說,警察因為維持治安,即使違法也是正確。我一樣不認同。那一樣不是法治。 Similarly, if you tell me it is fine for the police to break the law because they are trying to maintain order, I won’t agree it either. This is not the rule of law.
法治是示威者/警察/黑社會/市民/高官懷疑犯法後都同樣得到公正裁決,都受到法律制裁。那就是法治。 Rule of law is everyone (protestors, police, gang members, civilians, low/high ranking officials) receives the same fair judicial process when they are suspects for breaking the law. This is the rule of law.
當政府不是一視同仁地對待社會上每一個人,選擇性起訴部分人,但卻對另一部份人的違法行為視而不見,那就不是法治,而是打著法治旗號的人治。 When the government is not treating everyone in the society equally, but selectively and arbitrarily prosecuted certain people, and turned a blind eye to others’ illegal actions, that is not the rule of law, but the rule of men disguised as rule of law.