Transcript of remarks by S for S after FCC meeting
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     Following is the transcript of remarks (English portion) made by the Secretary for Security, Mr Lai Tung-kwok, at a media session at Central Government Offices, Tamar, after the Fight Crime Committee meeting this afternoon (May 14):

Reporter: Why is there an increase in seizure of drugs and an increase in rape cases?

Secretary for Security: Yes, the increase in seizure of drugs is mainly due to a closer co-operation between Hong Kong, Mainland and other overseas law enforcement agencies in the exchange of intelligence. This is of vital importance. The kind of co-operation we have is not only closer, but has already yielded very positive results. And this is the area that we need to work even harder. For the second point about the increase in rape cases, all of these cases happened between those who know each other. They are either friends, close friends or they just met a few hours ago. Some of these cases also involved the victims being raped after drinking quite a lot of alcohol. So I would appeal that young ladies should not drink too much.

Reporter: (In relation to the Court of Final Appeal judgment on the marriage right of post-operative transsexuals and the arrest of Melody Chan.)

Secretary for Security: For yesterday's Court of Final Appeal case, I think you refer to the case of W vs Registrar of Marriages. As you know, the court has made the judgment that she is entitled to get married under the law. The Court has asked the litigation parties to make written submissions on how the court order would be made within 21 days, I think ending on third of June. So the current position is that we are working with the Department of Justice to submit to the Court the necessary documents regarding the type of order that the Court will make in this case. Having said that, this is quite a complicated case and we have to seek further legal advice on how best we should proceed to implement the Court's judgment.

     Regarding the arrest of a lady which has attracted public attention, I would say that the whole case concerned the arrest of 93 persons during a public order event. The Police refer all these cases to Department of Justice for legal advice on whether there are sufficient evidences to proceed for prosecution. And the Police received legal advice in January 2012 that nine persons should be prosecuted with some others being issued warning letters. Having received that result, the Police adopted one standard practice, that is to contact these nine persons by phone, telling them the decision and asking them to come forward to the Police. Failing that, the Police will try to locate them at their reported address. Out of nine persons, eight of them either presented themselves to the Police or the Police located them. Regarding the case we just mentioned, the Police have tried to contact the lady by phone for about 20 times and visited her reported residential address for about 10 times. She is very clear that the Police have, upon legal advice, made a decision that legal action will be taken against her, but she failed to turn up. This is only up to a few days ago that the Police located her and that is the whole situation.

(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)

Ends/Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Issued at HKT 20:09

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