-
25
are backed up by many different provisions of statutory and
common law. In addition, the International Covenants on
Civil and Political Rights and on Economic, Social and
Cultural Rights have been extended to Hong Kong since
And their continued application beyond 1997 is
1976.
guaranteed in the Joint Declaration.
46.
It is clear that there is now strong support in
the community for these freedoms to be entrenched through
the enactment of a Bill of Rights. The Government has been
such a Bill might taka. We propos0
considering what form
that it should give
provisions
of the
Political Rights.
their civil or
effect in local law to the relevant
International Covenant on Civil and
This means that if anyone believes that
political rights, as defined in the
Covenant, have been violated they wil1 be able to seek
redress in the courts. We aim to publish a White Bill for
public consultation by the end of this year and to
draft legislation into this Council by July
Within this timescale there will not be time for a
review of all our existing laws to remove any
introduce
1990.
comprehensive
areas of doubt about their full compatibility with the Bill
of
Rights.
62'd Σε
To avoid any
unnecessary uncertainties the
/draft
S'I'9
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