XN000022-1991-12-18 — Page 9

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1991

"THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS CONSIDERS THAT THIS MIGHT NOT BE THE BEST ARRANGEMENT ESPECIALLY WHEN URGENT DECISIONS REQUIRING PROFESSIONAL JUDGEMENT HAVE TO BE MADE BY THE DIRECTOR.

++

"THE BILL THEREFORE SEEKS TO EMPOWER THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD TO APPOINT AN ACTING DIRECTOR DURING THE ABSENCE OF THE DIRECTOR, MRS WONG SAID.

DEBATE ON THE BILL WAS ADJOURNED.

CRIMES (TORTURE) BILL INTRODUCED

A BILL WHICH INTENDS TO GIVE EFFECT ΤΟ PROVISIONS IN THE UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION AGAINST TORTURE, INHUMAN AND DEGRADING TREATMENT OR PUNISHMENT (IN SHORT, THE TORTURE CONVENTION}, INTRODUCED INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

WAS

THE

MOVING THE SECOND READING OF THE CRIMES (TORTURE) BILL, THE. SECRETARY FOR CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS, MR MICHAEL SZE, SAID ENACTMENT OF THE BILL WOULD ENABLE THE CONVENTION TO

EXTENDED

HONG KONG.

BE

ΤΟ

TO

HE EXPLAINED THAT THE PURPOSE OF THE TORTURE CONVENTION WAS ELABORATE AND STRENGTHEN THE GUARANTEE OF THE INTERNATIONAL COVENANT

ALREADY ON CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS (ICCPR), WHICH WAS

APPLIED TO

HONG KONG.

SHALL

BE

OF ARTICLE 7

THE CONVENTION SPECIFIED: "NO ONE SUBJECTED TO TORTURE OR TO CRUEL, INHUMAN OR DEGRADING TREATMENT OR FREE PUNISHMENT. IN PARTICULAR, NO ONE SHALL BE SUBJECTED WITHOUT HIS CONSENT TO MEDICAL OR SCIENTIFIC EXPERIMENTATION".

THE FOLLOWING

ENACTMENT OF THE NECESSARY LEGISLATION IMPLEMENT THE CONVENTION, THAT IS, THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE ACT 1988, UNITED KINGDOM RATIFIED THE CONVENTION IN DECEMBER 1988.

TO

THE

TO

MR SZE SAID THE GOVERNMENT BELIEVED THAT IN ORDER DEMONSTRATE TO THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY HONG KONG'S DETERMINATION TO CONDEMN ACTS OF TORTURE AND OTHER INHUMAN AND DEGRADING TREATMENT, THE TERRITORY SHOULD SEEK TO BE INCLUDED IN THE UK'S RATIFICATION THE CONVENTION.

OF

то

THIS

ICCPR "THIS IS A LOGICAL STEP AFTER THE APPLICATION OF THE HONG KONG UPON ENACTMENT OF THE BILL OF RIGHTS ORDINANCE EARLIER YEAR, HE SAID.

11

THE SECRETARY SAID

THE

BILL BROADLY FOLLOWED THE APPROACH TAKEN IN SECTIONS 134 TO 138 OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE ACT 1988.

"THE REASON