TNAG-2863-FCO40-4117-Article-XIX-(lobby-group-for-press-freedom)-and-Hong-Kong-Jo-1993 — Page 17

11-JUN-1993 16:08

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS BR

+ 852 840 1976

P.04

Press Release

3

[For release at 5 pm on

Wednesday 17 March 1993]

Freedom of the Press is Secure

Freedom of the press is secure under Hong Kong law according

to the findings of a review by the Administration.

This was stated today (Wednesday) by a Government spokesman when revealing the recommendations of the review carried out by the Office of the Chief Secretary. The spokesman said the Governor, the Right Honourable Christopher Patten, had said in his Policy Address last October that the Government would review laws which might infringe press freedom and look again at what might be done to extend access to

official information.

The spokesman pointed out that the review examined those Hong Kong laws which were alleged to threaten press freedom in the light of the Bill of Rights Ordinance. It concluded that press freedom is

secure under Hong Kong law.

"However, we have found that a number of provisions are either obsolete or seem to be at odds with the Bill of Rights Ordinance and we will propose that they be repealed or amended as soon as the legislative programme allows," the spokesman said.