TNAG-1815-FCO40-2576-Hong-Kong-Public-Order-(Amendment)-Bill-1988-1988 — Page 65

RESTRICTED

HKD 301/2

14

014043

MDHIAN 3537

RESTRICTED

FM HONG KONG

TO DESKBY 29120OZ FCO TELNO 4394

OF 29113OZ NOVEMBER 88

INFO DESKBY 30010OZ PEKING

N

Ч

TOP COPY Q DIST ?

OUR TELNO 4307: PUBLIC ORDER ORDINANCE: REVIEW OF SECTION 27

THE FOLLOWING IS A DRAFT PRESS RELEAST THAT WE INTEND TO ISSUE AT 3.00PM TOMORROW (30 NOVEMBER):-

BEGINS

THE PUBLIC ORDER (AMENDMENT) BILL 1988, WHICH SEEKS TO REPEAL SECTION 27 OF THE PUBLIC ORDER ORDINANCE, WILL BE PUBLISHED IN THE GAZETTE ON 2 DECEMBER AND INTRODUCED INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON 14 DECEMBER, A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY.

THE SPOKESMAN SIAD THAT VARIOUS CONTROL PROVISIONS UNDER THE CONTROL OF PUBLICATIONS (CONSOLIDATION) ORDINANCE, INCLUDING THE POWER TO SUPPRESS NEWSPAPERS, SEIZE PRINTING PRESSES ETC, WERE REPEALED IN 1987 FOLLOWING A GOVERNMENT REVIEW.

''THE ONLY REMAINING CONTROL PROVISION, WHICH BANNED THE PUBLICATION OF FALSE NEWS LIKELY TO CAUSE PUBLIC ALARM, WAS TRANSFERRED FROM THE CONTROL OF PUBLICATIONS (CONSOLIDATION) ORDINANCE TO THE PUBLIC ORDER ORDINANCE.

''THE INTINTION WAS THAT THIS REMAINING PROVISION WOULD ONLY BE

USED AS A LAST RESORT IN ORDER TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC INTEREST.

''TO UNDERLINE THIS POINT, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL LATER PUBLISHED GUIDELINES THAT HE HAD ISSUED TO ALL PROSECUTING COUNSEL IN HIS CHAMBERS SETTING OUT HOW TO HANDLE POTENTIAL SECTION 27 CASES, HE SAID.

# 1

THE GOVERNMENT HAD BEEN CAREFULLY MONITORING THE EFFECTS OF THE NEW LEGISLATION. NO ONE HAD BEEN PROSECUTED UNDER SECTION 27.

THE SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD JUST COMPLETED A REVIEW OF THE SECTION AND FOUND NO EVIDENCE THAT THE OPERATION OF

THE LOCAL MEDIA HAD BEEN AFFECTED BY IT IN ANY WAY.

1

PAGE

RESTRICTED