HONG KONG
LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL-8 March 1989 香港立法局————————————一九八九年三月八日
22
Control of obscene and indecent video items
6. MR. DAVID CHEUNG asked: Will Government inform this Council, since the establishment of the Obscene Articles Tribunal in September 1987, how many amusement games machines, video tapes and discs have been classified as "neither obscene nor indecent", "indecent", and "obscene" respectively; how many prosecutions have been instituted for offences relating to the showing, sale or renting out of obscene and indecent amusement games machines, video tapes and discs, particularly to persons under the age of 18 years; and whether or not more active measures will be taken to detect similar offences for enforcement action?
SECRETARY FOR ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES AND INFORMATION: Sir, since the establishment of the Obscene Articles Tribunal in September 1987, the tribunal has classified 978 video tapes and laser discs, of which 11 were neither obscene nor indecent, 11 were indecent and 956 were obscene.
Since 1 September 1987, nine out of 207 printed circuit boards of amusement game machines submitted to the Television and Entertainment Licensing Authority (TELA) have been disapproved because of excessive violence or sex in their content. Since September 1987, there have been 744 prosecutions for installation of unapproved printed circuit boards.
Sir, the police and Customs and Excise Department regularly seize items and take out prosecution actions over obscene and indecent video tapes and discs. There is also an inspection team of five in TELA to look out for pornographic or violent video tapes and laser discs displayed in shops. Such action has resulted in 212 prosecutions between 1 September 1987 and the end of 1988 involving 3 700 video tapes.
Sir, our studies have shown that the great majority of video rental outlets work on a membership basis, and only accept persons over 18 as members. In the circumstances, it has not been possible to obtain evidence to take out a prosecution against any video rental outlet for renting indecent material to a juvenile. Prosecutions have therefore had to be based on possession of obscene items for sale or rental.
It is, Sir, not a matter for satisfaction that nearly 1 000 pornographic titles should come to light in a period of some 15 months. But during this period 48 people have been sent to prison for dealing in them. We shall have to maintain our present levels of vigilance for some time, and I assure Members that if necessary, additional measures for detection will be introduced.