TNAG-1693-FCO40-2343-Publication-of--Spycatcher--by-Peter-Wright-in-Hong-Kong-1987 — Page 18

M

WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 1987

FILM REGULATIONS BALANCE INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS WITH COMMUNITY INTERESTS

*****

REGULATIONS

STRIKE A BALANCE BETWEEN TO MAINTAIN PUBLIC THE OTHER, THE THE LEGISLATIVE

THE FILM CENSORSHIP INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS ON THE ONE HAND AND THE NEED ORDER, SECURITY AND THE INTEREST OF THE COMMUNITY ON TOLD HON MICHAEL THOMAS, ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY),

TO

HE SAID IT WAS THE APPROACH OF THESE REGULATIONS WHICH GAVE

NOT DISAPPROVE A FILM FOR A CENSOR A DISCRETION, FOR HE MIGHT

THERE WAS A LIKELIHOOD EXHIBITION UNLESS IN HIS CONSIDERED OPINION

GOOD RELATIONS WITH THAT ITS SHOWING IN A PUBLIC PLACE WOULD DAMAGE OTHER TERRITORIES.

PUT FORWARD IN RESPONSE TO THE LEGAL ASPECTS OF THE ARGUMENTS

WOULD REGULATIONS

BREACH PROPOSED THAT THE BY THE HON MARTIN LEE

AND ON CIVIL COVENANT

POLITICAL ARTICLE 19 OF THE INTERNATIONAL

DEBATE WAS WHETHER THE RIGHTS, MR THOMAS SAID THE QUESTION OF THE

FILMS COULD FAIRLY BE PROPOSED POWER TO RESTRICT THE EXHIBITION OF REGARDED AS FALLING WITHIN THE SCOPE OF THE RESTRICTIONS PERMITTED ARTICLE 19.

BY

AND THE "THE RIGHTS IN ARTICLE 19, THE RIGHT TO EXPRESS VIEWS

OTHERWISE, CAN NEVER RIGHT TO RECEIVE THEM, IN THE FORM OF FILMS OR BE ABSOLUTE OR UNLIMITED.

OF

A VARIETY OF WAYS "THEY ARE ORDINARILY RESTRICTED BY LAW IN

PROTECT THE INTERESTS THAT ARE FREELY ACCEPTED: FOR EXAMPLE TO OTHERS, OR TO PROTECT THE INTERESTS OF THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.

"SUCH RESTRICTIONS ARE CLEARLY CONTEMPLATED BY ARTICLE 19."

IN ARTICLE 19 FOR FIRST ONE

THAT

REFERRING TO THE THREE CRITERIA LAID DOWN THE RESTRICTIONS IT PERMITTED MR THOMAS SAID THE

WAS CLEARLY SATISFIED. THEY MUST BE PROVIDED BY LAW

"WE ARE DEBATING A RESTRICTION WHICH REGULATIONS THAT MAY HAVE THE FORCE OF LAW,

THE

TY

HAVE WILL HE EXPLAINED.

EFFECT UNDER

RESTRICTIONS IMPOSED

MUST

THE SECOND CRITERION WAS THAT SERVE THE PURPOSES MENTIONED IN ARTICLE 19, WHICH INCLUDED RESPECT OF

OF PROTECTION OR THE RIGHTS SECURITY OR OF PUBLIC ORDER, OTHERWISE INTERPRETED AS ORDRE PUBLIC.

REPUTATIONS

OF

OTHERS

AND

NATIONAL

THE

"IT IS THE CONSIDERED VIEW OF THE ADMINISTRATION, BASED ON

A FILM THAT ADVICE WE HAVE RECEIVED THAT IF THE CENSOR WERE TO BAN

WITH OTHER RELATIONS ΤΟ

GOOD DAMAGE THE CENSOR

DECISION TERRITORIES, AND THEREFORE WARRANTED RESTRICTION, HIS FALL WITHIN THE SCOPE OF THOSE PURPOSES,"

THOUGHT LIKELY

WOULD

/MR THOMAS