TNAG-1726-FCO40-2439-Minutes-and-Hansards-of-the-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Kong-1988 — Page 271

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Our discussions

with

the Ad Hoc Group have

focussed on the issue of political censorship to a

significant degree. At their instigation, we have modified

our earlier proposals to a

to a narrower formulation which now

provides for censorship where 'there is a likelihood that

which is a new word, the exhibition of the film

film would seriously,

damage good

eriously, damage

There

has been

relations with other territories'.

considerable legal debate as to whether this provision is

compatible with the International Covenant on Civil and

Political Rights. We have consulted the Foreign and

Commonwealth Office on the question and we are satisfied

that the proposed formulation is not incompatible with the

Covenant.

There is no doubt that censorship on grounds of

sex and violence reflects our community's expectations at

large. It may also

also be claimed

claimed with justification that

political censorship is necessary for

the protection of

the well-being of our community. That is why political

censorship has always been part of the film censorship

process, even under the existing legislation. The Bill

merely seeks to continue this provision with a tighter

criterion.

S

It does not make

sense to me to jeopardize our

good relations with any territory

screening the odd film and I mean 'odd'

for

the sake of

since only 21

that is

were

films have been banned on political grounds over the past

Munder which 21 were banned or

15 years out 10,549 films/submitted, just under 0.28.

per cent