Kwan Ho-ming advocates mainland-style “invite for tea” warnings under Article 23; Tang: no specific interview mechanism
管浩鳴倡23條設內地式「飲茶」警告 鄧炳強：無特定約談機制
The consultation period on legislation for Article 23 of the Basic Law will end tomorrow. After the Legislative Council passed a motion last Friday to fast-track the formation of a Bills Committee, the committee held its first meeting this afternoon. All 15 members expressed support for the legislation. After the meeting, the matter will await the government’s introduction of the bill, which will then be scrutinised by the same members. Secretary for Justice Paul Lam Ting-kwok said at the meeting that the offences under the legislation would not have retrospective effect. On penalties, he said that, in line with the common law, only maximum penalties would be specified, rather than minimum prison terms as under mainland law. Election Committee constituency lawmaker Kwan Ho-ming said the mainland had an “invite for tea” interview mechanism through which national security police could warn innocent people who might be at risk of crossing the line. Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung said different societies had different practices and that Hong Kong had no specific interview or “invite for tea” mechanism.
基本法23條立法諮詢期將在明日結束，立法會上周五通過「開快車」成立小組委員會後，今午立即召開會議，會上15名委員全部表示贊成立法，會議完成後，就有待政府推出條例草案後，再由原班人馬審議。律政司司長林定國在會上稱，條例罪行不具追溯力。罰則方面，因應普通法只會訂明最高罰則，不會如大陸法般訂出最低刑期。選委界議員管浩鳴指，內地有「請飲茶」約談機制，讓國安警警告有機會踩界的無辜人士，保安局局長鄧炳強指不同社會有不同做法，本港沒有特定的約談或飲茶的機制。