+
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 1987
- 1
DETERMINED EFFORT TO REPEAL REPRESSIVE MEASURES
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THE PUBLIC ORDER (AMENDMENT) BILL 1986 WAS A +DETERMINED EFFORT BY THE GOVERNMENT TO REPEAL THOSE REPRESSIVE MEASURES IN OUR LAWS WHICH WERE SO CONTRARY TO ALL THE FREEDOMS THAT HONG KONG STANDS FOR+, THE CHIEF SECRETARY, THE HON DAVID FORD, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
THE BILL, HE ADDED, WAS INTRODUCED INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MORE THAN TWO MONTHS AGO FOLLOWING A LONG AND THOROUGH REVIEW OF EXISTING LEGISLATION DEALING WITH THE CONTROL OF PUBLICATIONS IN HONG KONG.
WINDING UP THE RESUMED DEBATE ON THE BILL, MR FORD SAID AS A RESULT OF THAT REVIEW +WHICH THE MEDIA ASKED FOR AND SUPPORTED+, THE BILL INTRODUCED INTO THE COUNCIL REPEALED PROVISIONS WHICH HAD BEEN ON THE STATUTE BOOKS FOR OVER 30 YEARS.
THESE PROVISIONS ARE:
(A)
(B)
TO MAKE IT AN OFFENCE TO PRINT OR PUBLISH ANYTHING OF A SUBVERSIVE NATURE
TO PROVIDE FOR THE SUPPRESSION OF NEWSPAPERS AND THEIR PUBLICATIONS;
(C) TO PROVIDE FOR THE PROHIBITION OF THE IMPORTATION OF
PUBLICATIONS;
(D) TO PROVIDE FOR THE REGISTRAR OF NEWSPAPERS TO REFUSE OR
SUSPEND THE REGISTRATION OF NEWS AGENCIES;
(E)
(F)
(G)
TO PROVIDE FOR THE SEIZURE OF PRINTING PRESSES;
TO PROVIDE FOR THE SEARCH, SEIZURE, FORFEITURE AND THE DISPOSAL OF ARTICLES USED FOR CONTRAVENING THE (CONTROL OF PUBLICATIONS CONGULIDATION) ORDINANCE; AND
TO ALLOW THE REGISTRAR T REFUSE TO LICENSE, OR CANCEL THE LICENCE OF DISTRIBUTORS.
+FOR SOME 35 YEARS THE COMMUNITY AND THE MEDIA IN HONG KONG HAVE LIVED WITH THESE PROVISIONS AS PART OF THE LAW, AND AMONGST THEM, IN THE CONTROL OF PUBLICATIONS CONSOLIDATION ORDINANCE IN CHAPTER 268 SECTION 6 WAS A PASSAGE CONCERNED WITH THE PUBLICATION OF FALSE NEWS,+ MR FORD SAID.
IN SPITE OF THE EXISTENCE OF THESE LAWS, THIS GOVERNMENT HAS ESPOUSED AND ENCOURAGED THE FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION IN THE MEDIA AND IN PUBLIC GENERALLY IN A WAY WHICH HAS DRAWN PRAISE, NOT ONLY FROM COUNTRIES IN THIS REGION, BUT FROM MANY PARTS OF THE WESTERN WORLD ALSO.
/+BUT ZWO