New controversy arose yesterday over the rules for classifying indecent and obscene material after media pictures of celebrities engaged in sex acts with the most sensitive areas blanked out were ruled not to be indecent.
The interim ruling was made by the Obscene Articles Tribunal, which previously has classified as indecent pictures of Michelangelo's famed statue of David and a non-revealing but clandestine picture of one of the celebrities in her dressing room.
In the ruling, yet to be confirmed, the tribunal said an issue of Oriental Sunday and a Next Magazine supplement belonged in the Class I category - neither indecent or obscene.
Both published collections of strategically masked pictures purporting to show singer-actor Edison Chen Koon-hei in sexual positions with a string of female stars including Gillian Chung Yan-tung of Canto-pop duo Twins. Uncensored copies of the pictures had earlier been widely circulated on the internet.
The ruling prompted further criticism of the Control of Obscene and Indecent Articles Ordinance and calls for a speedy review of the ordinance.
Media watchdog the Television and Entertainment Licensing Authority (Tela) later asked for a review of the interim classifications at a full hearing, to be open to the public.
Tribunal adjudicator Mervyn Cheung Man-ping, who was not involved in the case, said that under the current principles, photos that did not display sensitive body parts and sexual intercourse could avoid being classified as indecent.
