SECRET
INWARD TELEGRAM
TO THE COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (The Secretary of State)
FROM HONG KONG (0.A.G.)
Cypher
D. 17 July, 1967.
10092
LAST REF.
Asz
R. 17
2
IMMEDIATE
SECRET No. 1058
(1)
Addressed to Commonwealth Office Repeated
10
Peking No.422,
P.A. Singapore No. 250
(S. of S. please pass both)
Your telegram No. 1038 paragraph 4.
Communist Press.
Despite the continuing virulence of the Communist Press campaign, I have no immediate intention of making the emergency regulations that have been drafted to control the press.
I propose however, to pursue action under the existing law in the following cases.
2.
An article was published on 6 July in one of the Communist "Mosquito" papers containing a photo of, inter alia, F.S. Li, an unofficial member of Executive and Legislative Councils, and, inter alia, alleging that in Legislative Council he advocated sanguinary suppression and slaughtering of Chinese people". Mr. Li who has been admirably staunch in defence of Government policies and who has been frequently abused and attacked by the Communist Fress and the recipient of threatening letters, has asked that action be taken against the paper for criminal libel.
3.
Mr. Li feels very strongly about this and has intimated that he might resign unless the Government ublica backs him in his position as a member of Councils. He does not consider that civil action on his part would meet this need.
40
I am advised that a charge of criminal libel should succeed although, in view of stronger cases for sedition in the bigger papers, the penalty awarded might not be great, There is also the possibility that by taking this case to court we may be committed to taking other similar cases against bigger papers. Nevertheless, I consider there would be advantage in showing that we are prepared to act in support of unofficial members of Government and at least against the smaller Communist papers. There is a chance that a substantial fine would put this "Mosquito" out of business and sow seeds of doubt in the minds of other editors. Moreover, if Mr. Li could be dissuaded from pressing for action in this instance,
JES No.63
SECRET
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