CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 091030Z FCO
TELNO 2122
OF 090958Z JULY 90
ние 011 15
ECEIVED IN
SK
10 JUL 1990
20
۲۷
Q DIST ?
23
130423
MDHIAN 8113
YOUR TELEGRAM NOS. 1254 AND 1270: MPS LETTER: ARREST OF UNITED DEMOCRATS IN HONG KONG.
1. WE HAVE NOT/NOT YET RECEIVED A COPY OF MR ASHDOWN'S LETTER TO THE PRIME MINISTER, BUT ON THE BASIS OF THE QUERIES IN TURS, OUR RESPONSES ARE AS FOLLOWS:
YOUR TELNO 1254.
(A) THERE HAVE NOT BEEN A GREAT NUMBER OF PROSECUTIONS FOR THE LOUD
HAILER OFFENCE OR FOR COLLECTING MONIES WITHOUT PERMIT. BUT THERE
HAS BEEN AN INCREASING NUMBER OF THESE ACTIVITIES SINCE BEFORE 4
JUNE 1989, PUTTING THE POLICE AND SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT UNDER GREATER PRESSURE WHEN THE LAW IS ABUSED.
(B) THERE IS NO EVIDENCE AT ALL THAT THE INDIVIDUALS WERE SINGLED OUT BY THE AUTHORITIES. INDEED, AS NOTED IN OUR TELNO 1860, THE INDIVIDUALS CONCERNED WERE REPEATEDLY WARNED BEFORE SUMMONS ACTION
WAS TAKEN. IT SEEMS THAT DELIBERATE ATTEMPTS WERE MADE BY THEM TO
FLOUT THE LAW.
(C) IN NEITHER THE TRIAL OF FUNG CHI-WOOD, NOR IN THE FORTHCOMING TRIALS OF LAU CHIN SHEK ET AL, WERE SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTS MADE FOR THE HEARING OF THE CHARGES. THE CASES WERE LISTED FOR HEARING
IN THE NORMAL WAY. IN FUN'S CASE IT IS WORTH NOTING
THAT DEFENCE COUNSEL MR MARTIN LEE, MADE NO/NO COMMENT IN COURT ABOUT THE TIMING OF THE CHARGES.
(D) WE, TOO, BELIEVE THAT THE EXISTING LEGAL PROVISIONS WOULD NOT VIOLATE THE BILL OF RIGHTS.
YOUR TELNO 1270.
ΖΙ
(A) FUNG WAS CONVICTED ON 4 JULY OF THE FOLLOWING OFFENCES:
-
COLLECTING MONEY WITHOUT A PERMIT
FAILING TO PRODUCE AN IDENTITY CARD
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CONFIDENTIAL
FINE HKD 300.
-
- FINE HKD 150.
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