NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN
W(B)L 51-7406
one hand, as you point out, the promulgation of Emergency Regulations could in certain circumstances have a damaging effect on the
economy and public confidence. On the other
different hand, it could in ether circumstances have
the reverse effect by demonstrating to the general public and to trouble makers the determination of the Hong Kong Government to
maintain law and order.
Nor have Jovelooked the arqument
3. It is true/that under Section 122 the representatives of the press cannot be required
to leave the court; but then
i strell world not
jodd that this
guarantee the deniable degree of publicity for the bra mat-
fack is not, of itself
leaving the Section as it stands--
Justify
One
reason
why it is required that verdict and sentence in a criminal case should be announced in open
court is in order that not only the public,
but in particular the relatives and friends of
the accused, may know and actually see what
has happened to the latter. It would not be
satisfactory to rely on such persons obtaining
information from newspapers regarding the court's decision since :
(a)
(b)
(c)
(a)
(e)
the press might not report the result
of the case;
the case might be reported only in a newspaper which the relatives and friends did not see;
the case might be reported in a newspaper printed in a language not known to the relatives and friends;
even if the judgment and sentence were reported in a newspaper normally
read by the relatives and friends
of the accused, they might miss
the item since the date on which
judgment and sentence were to be
announced might not have been known
to them; and
even if they saw the verdict in a
newspaper, they might be doubtful whether it was a true report.
/ I do not