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The Television and Entertainment Licensing Authority (TELA) has received notices from the Obscene Articles Tribunal (OAT) that the Supplement of Issue 936 of Next Magazine, and the front cover and some inside pages of Issue 531 of Oriental Sunday, earlier submitted by TELA to OAT for classification, have both been classified as Class I articles (neither obscene nor indecent) on an interim basis.
TELA has decided to require the OAT to review the above interim classifications at a full hearing in accordance with section 15 of the Control of Obscene and Indecent Articles Ordinance (COIAO). Having regard to the guidelines to the OAT in classifying articles as stipulated in the COIAO and OAT's past rulings on articles of a similar nature, TELA sees a need to seek a review of the above interim classifications.
OAT's full hearing under section 15 of the COAIO is held in public and TELA will make representations according to the guidelines to the OAT under the COIAO. Given the extensive public concern on the recent incident, a full hearing by the OAT will enable the public to have a clearer understanding of OAT's classification standards.
Ends/Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Issued at HKT 17:56
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