THURSDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1986
4
ANTI-PORNOGRAPHY BILL AIMS AT BALANCE *****
THE CONTROL OF OBSCENE AND INDECENT ARTICLES BILL IS AIMED AT STRIKING A BALANCE BETWEEN THE NEED TO PROTECT JUVENILES FROM THE INFLUENCE OF PORNOGRAPHIC MATERIALS AND THE NEED TO SAFEGUARD THE FREEDOMS OF EXPRESSION AND CHOICE OF ADULTS, THE SECRETARY FOR ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES AND INFORMATION, MR JAMES SO, SAID TODAY (THURSDAY).
HENCE, HE SAID, THE BILL PROPOSED A SYSTEM WHEREBY THE COMMUNITY COULD PARTICIPATE IN DETERMINING THE STANDARD OF MORALITY AND PROPRIETY ACCEPTABLE TO IT, THUS ENSURING THAT THE YOUNG WERE PREVENTED FROM ACCESS TO ARTICLES WHICH IT CONSIDERED UNSUITABLE FOR THEM.
SPEAKING AT A LUNCH MEETING OF THE LIONS CLUB OF TAI PING SHAN, MR SO SAID THE PROVISIONS OF THE BILL HAD GENERALLY ACHIEVED THIS AIM AND HAD SUCCEEDED IN ARRIVING AT THE GOLDEN MEAN.
PROVIDES FOR THE THE BILL - PUBLISHED ON AUGUST 15 - CLASS IF ICATION INTO THREE CLASSES OF ALL ARTICLES TO BE PUBLISHED.
ARTICLES CLASSIFIED UNDER CLASS (1) CAN BE PUBLISHED WITHOUT RESTRICTION. CLASS (2) WILL COVER ARTICLES CLASSIFIED AS INDECENT AND THEIR PUBLICATION IS SUBJECT TO CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS AND CLASS (3) CONTROL GOVERNING THEIR DISPLAY, SALE AND ACCESS. WILL COVER ARTICLES CLASSIFIED AS OBSCENE AND THESE WILL BE BANNED FROM PUBLICATION.
THE TASK OF MAKING THE CLASSIFICATION WILL FALL ON AN OBSCENE ARTICLES TRIBUNAL TO BE PRESIDED OVER BY A BILINGUAL MAGISTRATE SITTING WITH AT LEAST TWO LAY ADJUDICATORS DRAWN FROM A PANEL.
MR SO SAID THE BILL HAD BEEN DISCUSSED BY A NUMBER OF DISTRICT BOARDS OR THE IR SUB-COMMITTEES, AND INTEREST GROUPS, ACADEMICS, THE MEDIA AND INDIVIDUAL CITIZENS HAD COMMENTED ON ÍT.
+THE TENOR OF PUBLIC COMMENTS GENERALLY WELCOMES THE BILL AS A POSITIVE STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION IN CONTROLLING THE SPREAD OF PORNOGRAPHY IN OUR SOCIETY, + HE SAID.
IN REPLY TO COMMENTS THAT, THE LEGAL DEFINITIONS OF THE WORDS +OBSCENE+ AND INDECENT+ WERE VAGUE AND UNCLEAR, MR SO SAID THE LEGAL DEFINITIONS IN THE BILL WERE, IN HIS VIEW, AS CLEAR AS ONE COULD EVER HOPE TO ACHIEVE ON SUCH MATTERS AND THE MAIN TEST WAS IN THEIR INTERPRETATION BY THE TRIBUNAL.
+ IN THIS REGARD, WE MUST HAVE FAITH IN OUR PEERS. THAT IS WHY THE BILL PROPOSES TO PLACE THIS TASK IN THE HANDS OF A TRIBUNAL WHICH INCLUDES MEMBERS DRAWN FROM A WIDE CROSS-SECTION OF THE COMMUNITY,+ HE SAID.
/MR SO