HONG KONG JOURNALISTS ASSOCIATION
香港記者
者協會
action to suppress subversive activities aimed at
the
People's law for
urge
Republic of China. We fear such selective use of the political ends may damage public confidence in the rule of law. Besides expressing support for a bill of rights, we want to the government to give sufficient time for proper We are
also concerned that there will be a freeze length of which is still undecided. into full effect as soon as possible.
llere we
consultation.
period,
We hope the bill will
the
come
review
with
the UN Human want to reiterate the points we made to Rights Committee and the FAC. We hope the government will the following laws urgently in order to ensure they comply the letter and the spirit of the International Covenant on and Political Rights and the future bill of rights:
Civil
1. The Official Secrets Act
official the
of
It forbids unauthorised disclosure or possession of any information. IE strictly enforced, this could include even most innocuous inter-office civil service memo and the number
Indeed the South China Morning cups of tea consumed by yourself.
the Political Post
publishing have been prosecuted for could adveriser's letter.
impediment
to about
We think this piece of legislation is a serious journalists and members of the public seeking information government operations. It can also be used to shelter actions by government officials which are against the public interest.
As far as we are aware,
no
one has been prosecuted under this act in Hong Kong, but journalists and their sources live in fear that The act is a this act might be enforced arbitrarily at any time.
will no piece of British legislation applied to Hong Kong and
the sword of 1997. However, after 1997, longer apply after
head Damocles will be hanging over the journalistic profession's
Basic draft in the form of Article 23 of the stipulates that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region shall enact laws to prohibit "theft of state secrets".
Law, which
The HKJA suggests there should be a total re-think on the concept In line with the government's of official secrecy in Hong Kong. professed open policy, we urge the government to enact a
information ordinance, giving emphasis to access of
as is the of denial of access, information, instead
only restriction on access should be related
The
concerning territorial security.
ADDRESS: 3/F, BLK B, MERCANTILE BUILDING,
P.2
HK B O'BRIEN ROAD, WANCHAL
Wi
址:香港牌仔柯布連道八號佳利大廈四樓B座
TEL/A5-277325 5 -295691
B✰N/FAX: 5–277325
GPO BOX : 11726 香港郵政總局價箱一一七二六號
Affiliated to the International Federation of Journalists
本會爲國際紀者聯癖成員
freedom official
case now.
to documents
ASSOCIATE UNIONS/海外聯繫組織 Australian Journalists Association National Union of Journalists
(Great Britain & beland)
The Newspaper Guild (US & Canada)
New Zealand Journalists Union
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.