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He also assured the committee that all new legislation was drafted in both English and Chinese now and that the translation of all existing legislation would be completed before 1997.

In response to a question raised by a member of the Committee, Mr Fung said Police are liable to prosecution for the unlawful use of weapons causing death or injury.

He added that it was a disciplinary offence for a police officers to exercise unlawful or unnecessary authority resulting in loss or injury to any other persons rendering him liable to punishments ranging from reprimand to dismissal.

In response to a question raised by a member of the UNHRC on whether the Government had plans to criminalise marital rape, Mr Fung said the House of Lords decision in a case in 1991 applied to Hong Kong.

That case decided that there was no longer a rule of law that a wife was deemed to have consented irrevocably to sexual intercourse with her husband.

A husband could therefore be prosecuted and convicted of rape of his wife, Mr. Fung said, adding that there were no need to reform this area of the law.

On a question on how the Government dealt with domestic violence, Mr Fung said the Government provided a range of services to victims of domestic violence including counselling, psychological assessment/treatment, child care, financial assistance, as well as housing and other assistance.

When a case of domestic violence was reported, he said the Police would liaise with the Social Welfare Department to provide counselling for victims and would immediately arrange for the victim to undergo medical examination.

Moreover, the police force also maintained close liaison with other relevant Government departments, non-governmental organisations and women's groups to strengthen the training for front-line officers on crisis intervention and understanding the trauma and psychology of victims, Mr Fung said.

End/Friday, October 20, 1995

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