Everyone is freaked out to hear that the Court of Final Appeal has overturned the conviction of ex-RTHK journalist Bao Choy for ‘making false statements to obtain vehicle records’. (The records are public information, and she was investigating the Yuen Long gangster attacks.) It’s rare these days to see a court siding with someone the government has prosecuted in a politically charged case – and the sense is that it will get rarer.
Choy’s sentence was non-custodial, so it’s unlikely (you would think) that the authorities will go to huge lengths to reverse the CFA’s decision, but it would not be surprising if access to vehicle records gets tightened. The CFA seems to allow for this…
Even if “[o]ther traffic and transport related matters” exclude journalistic purposes, journalists could be “honestly mistaken” in thinking they could choose that option, the court said.
No comment from the government, which is busy both condemning and strongly opposing criticism of the extensive efforts by police to dissuade commemorations of 6-4 – now including confiscation of pictures of candles. The second of these press releases for some reason focuses on and names National Taiwan University. Whoever wrote it obviously never got the memo on not using the institution’s full name – usually at least dropping the first word.
Sounds like a case for the Thought Police. A slip can get you into Room 101. But there is hope:
“The sexual act, successfully performed, was rebellion. Desire was thoughtcrime.”
I thought you would mention the latest three child murder in a small subdivided apartment by a crazed mother probably ‘living’ on welfare. They are burying that story fast.
Or the masses of nutters walking around Hong Kong mumbling to themselves for decades because there are only about four psychiatrists in the whole of the territory. I say that because I once looked years ago and found two.
Thank God I emigrated to Florida’s sand, sex and Lebensraum. I was always such a rebel.
Hurrah!
Unfortunately the court ruling is at best a Pyrrhic victory. The sour expression on CS ‘s face indicated that work on amending access to information to specifically exclude any form of journalist intent will be a priority .
How come there was not nuclear grade freak out this year at the US Consulate and others having candles in their windows? Did I miss the panty wetting and lashing out?
“SB” is also mainland slang for “Sha Bi” which basically means “stupid cunt”. So in other words, very appropriate.
Came for Hemlock’s wry commentary but stayed for Chinese Netizen’s lessons in mainland slang.
@Nury Vee – if they’re burying the story fast, how come it was all over tonight’s English news on TV? In fact the government probably welcomes such stories, as a distraction from bans on songs, decimation of public libraries, freakouts over licence plates (which can’t be illegal as they are approved by the government before issue), and all the other razzamatazz going on.
@Stanley the way the press release is worded, it looks almost to be deliberate use of the expression SB.
Really?
More thought to your sources, highly recommended