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Following is the transcript of remarks by the Acting Secretary for Security, Mr John Lee, at a media session after attending an event this morning (January 3):
Reporter: Mr Lee, what is the direction of the Police investigation? Has the bureau communicated with the Shenzhen Municipal Public Security Bureau?
Acting Secretary for Security: The Police have classified this case as a missing person case. Regional Missing Persons Unit of Hong Kong Island is doing a thorough and professional investigation into this matter. They have already conducted active investigations. For example, reviewing all the CCTV footage in the surrounding area of the location where the missing person was last seen. They will, of course, conduct further investigations to look into other possibilities, such as examining with whom the missing person communicated over the period of time before he was discovered missing so as to ascertain the background and the actual fact of the case. The purpose of the investigation is, of course, to look for the whereabouts of the missing person. If there is any indication that the missing person has surfaced at a location outside Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Police will take actions to verify that information with local law enforcement agency.
Reporter: Any possibility that the Mainland security officers enforcing...
Acting Secretary for Security: At this stage, the Police are still actively doing investigations. We should give time to the Police to ascertain the background and the circumstances that led to the missing of the subject person. At this stage, I do not think it is appropriate to draw any conclusion.
Reporter: (inaudible)
Acting Secretary for Security: One thing that is certain is that Hong Kong is a place where we talk and seriously respect the rule of law. In Hong Kong, the only people who can exercise the power of the law are our legal enforcement agencies of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government. The law protects the rights, including the freedom and safety of everybody in Hong Kong.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
Ends/Sunday, January 3, 2016
Issued at HKT 14:58
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