Hong Kong increasingly looks like a place where the government adheres to the law, but where the law is twisted to suppress dissent. While some judges apply the law fairly, others appear to exhibit their pro-government views, bend to pressures on them from those who appointed them to deliver very harsh punishment for minor infringements, or charges involving the twisting of language. “Exemplary” punishments out of line with the severity of an offence are used to silence or frighten critics.