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Following is the transcript of remarks by the Secretary for Security, Mr Lai Tung-kwok, at a media session after attending a radio programme today (January 17):
Reporter: Mr Lai, Police have started arresting or inviting Occupy Movement protesters to the police stations to be arrested but some of them have chosen to refuse bail and were released unconditionally and some say that the Police do not have enough evidence to arrest, how do you respond to that?
Secretary for Security: The Police are handling all these cases in accordance with the established procedures which include cautioned interviews with the arrestees. This procedure has to be done before they can summarise cases and submitted to the Department of Justice for advising decisions. During this period, the police ask the arrestees to enter into police bail and under the law, of course the arrestee does not necessarily have to agree to enter into police bail. This does not mean that no further actions will be taken. As we all know, all cases have to be thoroughly investigated, going through all the necessary steps and procedures before decisions can be made by the Department of Justice whether to lay a charge and naturally it will take some time. It is under this circumstances that people got the impression that the Police arrest a person and then seek to release them on bail without bringing them to court in the first instance. In fact, the procedures that have been established for such a long time must be followed and each and every prosecution should receive the greatest care and attention to ensure that justice is done. What I explained to you will provide you a better understanding for the background (on the question) that you asked.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
Ends/Saturday, January 17, 2015
Issued at HKT 12:23
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