TNAG-2175-FCO40-3112-Hong-Kong-Bill-of-Rights-1990 — Page 247

FCO40 Hong Kong Department Records 聯邦事務部香港部檔案 All

33.

CONFIDENTIAL

15

We accept some of these concerns

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are valid. The

creation of new right of privacy (Article 14) could be commercially disruptive becuase the UN Human Rights Committee (UNHRC) have interpreted this right as requiring laws which regulate the gathering and use of information concerning a person's life. Such laws should should

include a

right of access to personal data stored in automatic data

files. This is a complex subject and the Law Reform Commission is studying the subject of privacy with a view to making recommendations to the executive for detailed legislation in this

in this area. In the circumstances we would

recommend that the application of this article to the private sector should be deferred. We do not accept that the right to freedom of expression (including the freedom to seek, receive and impart information) in Article 16 and the anti-discrimination provisions in Article 22 of the BOR are likely to be commercially disruptive. The freedom to seek, receive and impart information is not the same as the right to privacy and should not give rise to claims that personal data held by commercial concerns must be disclosed

to individuals, We are also satisfied that Article 22 of

the BOR, if it is interpreted in a manner which is consistent with a formal Comment of the UNHRC, will be limited to the content of laws and their application in the public sector and will not make discrimination in the

private sector unlawful.

34.

The ICCPR requires that States Parties should

ensure that any person whose rights and freedoms (as

recognised in the Covenant) are violated shall have an

effective remedy (Article 2.3(a)). The Preamble to the Covenant also states that the individual, having duties to other individuals and to the community to which he belongs, is under a a responsibility to strive for the promotion and

observance of the rights recognised in the ICCPR. Therefore, while

the ICCPR does not require that an

CONFIDENTIAL

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.65

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