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Society 'dismayed' by searches and says watchdog's explanation is unacceptable

The Hong Kong Newspaper Society yesterday joined the chorus of protest against the ICAC's  weekend raids at newspaper offices.

The Hong Kong Journalists' Association, the Federation of Hong Kong Journalists and the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists all described the ICAC's actions as disproportionately severe.

Four newspapers and a reporter have filed requests for a copy of the affidavit the ICAC submitted to the court to obtain search warrants. One newspaper has also filed complaints to the ICAC's complaints committee and Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa.

The Newspaper Society held a special meeting on the incident. It expressed 'strong dismay' with the 'absolutely unacceptable' and 'violent' search operation and the ICAC's  explanation.

'The simultaneous search of seven newspapers has set a very bad precedent and seriously affected freedom of the press,' the society said.

'The press respects the rule of law. If the media had breached the Witness Protection Ordinance, legal action could be taken against them based on their published reports and there is no need to search them.'

Officers from the agency raided seven newspaper offices on Saturday and seized journalistic material as part of its investigation into a leak involving a woman in its witness protection programme.

Search warrants were obtained for the offices of the South China Morning Post, Apple Daily, Hong Kong Economic Journal, Oriental Daily News, Sing Tao Daily, The Sun, the Ta Kung Pao and several reporters' homes.

Apple Daily's director of public affairs Liu Kin-ming said the paper had sent two identical letters - one to the ICAC complaints committee and another to Mr Tung.

'We told them we protest the actions against us by the ICAC last Saturday,' Mr Liu said. 'We think the actions were unnecessary and inappropriate and hope they will start a thorough investigation and make sure in the future the freedom of the press will not be interfered with in such a manner.'

Mr Liu said there were no plans for legal action because no material from Apple Daily was being held. Hong Kong Economic Journal chief editor Chan King-cheung  said the paper had also decided not to take  legal action.

'We will wait and see what goes on as the case moves on and will stay in close contact with our lawyers,' Mr Chan said. The Post does not plan to take legal action.

The Newspaper Society said the ICAC's action had  a chilling effect on the press and had damaged the principle of protecting sources.

Society spokesman Yeung Kam-kuen said information in notebooks and computer files was often sensitive and the trustworthiness of the press had been damaged.

'Reporters feel unable to use mobile phones to contact sources for fear of disclosure of their sources,' he said. 'The fact that the ICAC can use their powers to so easily acquire such information has severe implications.'

The society called on the ICAC to explain its actions  and on the chief executive to pay 'close attention' to the effect on press freedom.

The Journalists Association also termed the raid unnecessary and urged the ICAC to explain.

'We urge the ICAC to  tell us what they are doing and why they did what they did, provided it does not hamper their investigations,' the association said in a letter to the ICAC. It said the raid was unnecessary, and criticised the watchdog for failing to appreciate the sensitivity of news materials.

The Committee to Protect Journalists condemned the  raids.

'The ICAC used unnecessary and heavy-handed tactics that seem designed to harass and intimidate,' committee executive director Ann Cooper said.

A spokesman for the Federation of Hong Kong Journalists said he was angry about the raids. 'Newspapers should not be the sources of the ICAC's investigations,' he said.



Newspaper bosses join outcry over ICAC office raids