TNAG-0077-FCO40-113-Action-against-Communist-press-1967 — Page 35

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FOREIGN OFFICE AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE TO CERTAIN MISSIONS AND

DEPENDENT TERRITORIES

DANCE NO. 217

24 August, 1967

UNCLASSIFIED

(IPG)

HONG KONG: ACTION AGAINST SEDITIOUS NEWSPAPERS

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You may encounter criticism of the action taken against some Communist newspapers and journalists in the Colony. You should, where necessary, rebut this forcefully, making the general point that it is the duty of any Government whether colonial or me tro- politan to maintain law and order and to bring to justice those who take part in or openly incite to sedition, Such legal action is in no way an infringement of the freedom of the Press or expression of opinion.

2.

You may freely draw on the following material:

The tone of the Communist Press in Hong Kong has steadily deteriorated since the beginning of the disturbances early in May. The Hong Kong authorities have refrained for as long as possible from taking action against it in an attempt to avoid the danger of further exacerbating relations with China, but finally action could no longer be deferred because:

(a) the Press was one of the few remaining weapons left intact for the Communists for creating unrest since the firm measures already taken by the Police to deal with the disturbances had given the forces of law and order the upper hand;

(b) the stream of seditious and libellous statements,

incitement to violence and disaffection was the main driving force sustaining the hard core Communists: there was also the danger that it might begin to affect public morale. Unless action was taken against the Press, it would not be possible to progress towards a return to normality.

3.

It was decided that action should be taken under the existing laws (i.e. not under Emergency Regulations) in the first instance and should be directed against selected sections of the independently-owned Communist Press. It was hoped that such a course might serve notice on other sections of the Press to refrain from incitement thereby avoid the need to proceed against the C.P.G.- backed newspapers,

4. Accordingly, on 9 August, five persons responsible for the editing, publishing and printing of three independently owned pro- Communist newspapers (the Tin Fung Yat Po, the Hong Kong Evening News and Afternoon News) were arrested and charged with various offences arising from the publication of seditious material which had appeared in their newspapers. When the persons concerned appeared in Court on 10 August, the Director of Public Prosecutions intimated, on behalf of the Attorney General, that if the offences were repeated. an application would be made (under the Control of Publications Ordinance) for suspension of the newspapers concerned. They ignored this warning, and accordingly on 17 August an application for an Order suspending them was sought and obtained. The Order came into effect immediately and will last until the termination of Court proceedings against the publishers and printers. The newspapers

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