Hong Kong leader’s threatened libel suit against Apple Daily ridiculous, says Transparency International head
Jose Carlos Ugaz comments on legal letter sent to newspaper over its comments concerning HK$50 million payment to Leung Chun-ying by UGL
Last month, Leung’s lawyers sent Apply Daily a legal letter demanding the Chinese-language newspaper cease making allegations of impropriety over a payment of HK$50 million he received from Australian firm UGL before he took office in 2012.
The chief executive also demanded a statement of retraction be printed in the newspaper.
“It is ridiculous to [have a lawyer send in a legal letter] saying you should not talk about these issues because those are the issues that need to be open to the public ... for the circulation of ideas,” said Jose Carlos Ugaz, global chairman of the Berlin-based group.
“If you have not done anything wrong, why try to impede people to talk or investigate about those cases? That’s a terrible sign, ” Ugaz said at a media roundtable with Hong Kong journalists at the North Point headquarters of the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC).
“Censorship will never be accepted by an organisation like ours,” Ugaz added, in response to a question about the issue raised by an Apply Daily journalist.
The newspaper has so far not agreed to Leung’s demand for an apology.