Renewed calls for privacy laws

The dissemination of private photos of celebrities and their continued publication in magazines and newspapers have renewed calls for laws to guard against the invasion of privacy.

In an article published by the Law Society's official journal, Hong Kong Lawyer, the society's president, Lester Huang, said the celebrity-photo saga 'highlights the need for a law on privacy', and noted that the Law Reform Commission had already made comprehensive recommendations four years ago.

Mr Huang said that while he did not condone the activities depicted in the photos, most of which where taken by Edison Chen Koon-hei, they were nevertheless private property depicting private affairs and Chen's privacy rights should have been respected.

He said he understood the complexities involved in assessing the policy implications but felt the government could do more.

'Sometimes I feel that the administration is not open enough about what it is doing with these reports, and it is not hard to believe that it is putting off this kind of work, important as it may be,' Mr Huang said.

In a document of nearly 300 pages, the commission recommended laws against the invasion of privacy and the giving of publicity to private affairs that would be objectionable and offensive to a reasonable person. Any person who felt his or her right to privacy had been invaded would be entitled to seek civil remedies.