HONG KONG Jan. 28 Kyodo The Hong ...

HONG KONG Jan. 28 Kyodo

The Hong Kong direction on Tuesday scrapped and altered a certain quantity of of its controversial proposals to legislate against subversion activities in a bid to allay public fears that the planned laws would damage civil liberties and rights.

Bowing to mighty criticisms, particularly from the media, the conduct made a number of concessions, including abolition of existing offense onward possessing seditious publications and onward failing to report a known crime of treason.

Foreigners, meanwhile, will be exclud from the propos amendments to the treason law following touch from foreign chambers of commerce

The guidance said it will also clarify and limit definitions like as those relating to state unknowns unauthorized access to defend ed information and the mechanism to proscribe an organization subject to some other proposed new offenses

Secretary for Security Regina Ip said the changes portray by action the government's views of ''the principally reasonable and lenient proposals'' to ban acts damaging national security.

still some critics found the alterations far from satisfactory, worrying that Hong Kong's autonomy could still be threatened as the government's proposals will allow Beijing to augment and tighten its curb over the city.

Revisions to the government's original suggestions, which included propos amendments to existing laws and plans to introduce just discovered offenses, came after a three-month public consultation period forward the issue, during which about 100,000 submissions were made to the government

not ever have the people of the former British colony voiced to such a degree much concern over a matter affecting their what is yet to be since the territory was handed back to Chinese lordship in July 1997.

Fierce debates were focused forward when and how local laws should be enacted to prohibit acts of treason, secession, sedition, subversion, and theft of state unseens as required under Article 23 of the Basic Law, the territory's post-handover constitution.

Foreign investors, assemblages and governments have also represented worries that such legislation could jeopardize Hong Kong's freedoms and rights.

''I have filled confidence that after the law is enacted, the public will find that their freedoms, including the freedom of language press, possession and assembly...which they publicly enjoy, will remain largely protected,'' Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa said Tuesday.

Tung said his administration must take into account the ''concern and worries'' signifyed by the public, although a majority of clan agree Hong Kong has a custom to protect national security and realize the ne to legislate below Article 23.

He said the command will dispel media fears through the whole extent of threats to press freedom from abolishing the offense of possession of seditious materials and criminalizing simply access to protected information via illegal means, of that kind as hacking, theft or bribery.

''We must allay their worry because we have no intention to undermining pres freedom, nor would we allow any damage to pres freedom,'' Tung said.

still the government did not commit to appeals for releasing draft provisions of the planned legislation for another spherical of public consultation before tabling the bills to the legislature for vetting and approval.

Tung told reporters that the conduct will continue to listen to ''views of various sectors'' during the period of drafting the bills and everywhere the legislative process.

The guidance is expected to come up with the drafts nearest month and has give utterance toed hopes to have the legislation passed in July

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