VZCZCXYZ0013
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHHKA #3171 2191036
ZNY CCCCC ZZH ZUI RUEWMCF3016 2191044
P 071036Z AUG 06
FM AMCONSUL HONG KONG
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0000
INFO CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC

C O N F I D E N T I A L HONG KONG 003171 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NOFORN 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR DENNIS WILDER 
DEPT FOR EAP/CM 
 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/07/2031 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL HK CH PINR MC
SUBJECT: LEGCO PASSES COVERT SURVEILLANCE BILL 
 
REF: A. HONG KONG 3109 
     ¶B. HONG KONG 0465 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: ACTING E/P CHIEF JEFF ZAISER.  REASONS: 1.4(B,D). 
 
¶1. (C) SUMMARY:  ON AUGUST 6, THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL (LEGCO) 
PASSED A CONTROVERSIAL LAW REGULATING THE USE OF COVERT 
SURVEILLANCE, INTERCEPTION OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS, AND 
INTERCEPTION OF POSTAL COMMUNICATIONS BY HONG KONG LAW 
ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES.  PRO-DEMOCRACY LAWMAKERS CRITICIZED THE 
LEGISLATION FOR GRANTING TOO MUCH POWER TO LAW ENFORCEMENT 
AGENCIES AND STAGED A MASS WALKOUT PRIOR TO THE LEGCO VOTE. 
CHIEF EXECUTIVE (CE) DONALD TSANG DISMISSED CRITICISM OF THE 
LAW, SAYING IT WAS FAIRER AND MORE PROTECTIVE OF PRIVACY THAN 
SIMILAR LAWS IN THE WORLD'S MOST OPEN DEMOCRACIES.  HE SAID 
THE PUBLIC COULD REST ASSURED THAT THE POLICE WOULD NOT 
BYPASS OR ACT BEYOND THE LAW.  PROFESSOR JOHANNES CHAN, DEAN 
OF THE HONG KONG UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW, TOLD US ON AUGUST 
7 THAT WHILE THE NEW LAW HAS SOME PROBLEMATIC FEATURES, IT 
OFFERS "AN ACCEPTABLE SYSTEM OVERALL" AND MERELY LEGALIZES 
WHAT IS ALREADY TAKING PLACE IN PRACTICE.  CHAN SAID THE 
GOVERNMENT'S HANDLING OF THE LEGISLATION HAD LED TO FURTHER 
POLARIZATION BETWEEN THE POLITICAL PARTIES IN LEGCO AND ALSO 
CAUSED AN EROSION OF TRUST BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND THE 
DEMOCRATS.  PRIOR TO THE FINAL VOTE, LEGISLATOR "LONG HAIR" 
LEUNG KWOK-HUNG LAUNCHED A LEGAL CHALLENGE TO LEGCO PRESIDENT 
RITA FAN'S REFUSAL TO ALLOW A VOTE ON MANY OF THE AMENDMENTS 
OFFERED BY PRO-DEMOCRACY LEGISLATORS.  ANALYSTS SAID LEUNGS 
CHALLENGE COULD HELP SETTLE THE QUESTION OF HOW MUCH POWER 
LEGCO HAS IN AMENDING LAWS DRAFTED BY THE ADMINISTRATION. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
BILL PASSES AS DEMOCRATS STAGE WALKOUT 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) IN THE EARLY HOURS OF AUGUST 6, LEGCO PASSED THE 
CONTROVERSIAL INTERCEPTION OF COMMUNICATIONS AND SURVEILLANCE 
BILL BY A VOTE OF 32 TO ZERO AFTER A RECORD 57 HOURS OF 
DEBATE OVER FIVE DAYS.  AS EXPECTED, THE BILL GARNERED NO 
SUPPORT FROM PRO-DEMOCRACY LEGISLATORS (SEE REF A), WHO 
STAGED A MASS WALKOUT IN PROTEST OF THE BILL.  PRO-DEMOCRACY 
LAWMAKERS SAID THE LEGISLATION GIVES LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES 
TOO MUCH POWER AND PROVIDES INSUFFICIENT PROTECTION AGAINST 
ABUSE OF THAT POWER.  THE NEW LAW WILL BE GAZETTED 
(PUBLISHED) ON AUGUST 9, ALONG WITH A NEW CODE OF PRACTICE 
FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, A DAY AFTER THE COURT-IMPOSED 
DEADLINE TO HAVE NEW ARRANGEMENTS IN PLACE.  A COMMISSIONER 
FOR COVERT SURVEILLANCE AND A PANEL OF JUDGES TO VET 
SURVEILLANCE APPLICATIONS FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES WILL 
BE NAMED THE SAME DAY. 
 
¶3. (SBU) CHIEF EXECUTIVE (CE) DONALD TSANG DISMISSED 
CRITICISM OF THE LAW, SAYING "I BELIEVE OUR SYSTEM IS AS GOOD 
AS THOSE AMONG THE MOST DEMOCRATIC JURISDICTIONS IN THE 
WORLD."  HE SAID THE PUBLIC COULD REST ASSURED THAT THE 
POLICE WOULD NOT BYPASS OR ACT BEYOND THE LAW.  SECRETARY FOR 
SECURITY AMBROSE LEE SAID THE LAW STRIKES THE RIGHT BALANCE 
BETWEEN EFFECTIVE LAW ENFORCEMENT AND PROTECTION OF PRIVACY. 
POLICE COMMISSIONER DICK LEE SAID THE LAW GAVE OFFICERS 
SUFFICIENT LEGAL GROUND TO ADOPT SURVEILLANCE TECHNIQUES 
PROVEN EFFECTIVE IN OTHER ADVANCED COUNTRIES. 
 
OVERVIEW OF THE NEW LAW 
----------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) THE NEW LAW REGULATES THE USE OF COVERT 
SURVEILLANCE, INTERCEPTION OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS, AND 
INTERCEPTION OF POSTAL COMMUNICATIONS BY HONG KONG LAW 
ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES.  IT ESTABLISHES A TWO-TIERED SYSTEM FOR 
LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS TO GAIN APPROVAL FOR SURVEILLANCE 
ACTIVITIES.  "MORE INTRUSIVE" SURVEILLANCE REQUIRES THE 
APPROVAL OF A JUDGE FROM A PANEL APPOINTED BY THE CE.  "LESS 
INTRUSIVE" SURVEILLANCE MERELY REQUIRES THE APPROVAL OF A 
SENIOR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL, EQUIVALENT TO THE RANK OF 
SENIOR SUPERINTENDENT OR ABOVE, WITHIN THE RELEVANT LAW 
ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENT.  COVERT SURVEILLANCE IS CONSIDERED 
"MORE INTRUSIVE" IF, FOR EXAMPLE, A REMOTE LISTENING DEVICE 
WERE USED; INTERCEPTION OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS IS CONSIDERED 
"MORE INTRUSIVE" IF, FOR EXAMPLE, BOTH PARTIES TO THE 
CONVERSATION WERE UNWITTING. 
 
¶5. (SBU) AUTHORIZATION TO CONDUCT SURVEILLANCE CAN ONLY BE 
GRANTED TO PREVENT OR DETECT "SERIOUS CRIME," OR PROTECT 
"PUBLIC SECURITY," THOUGH THE DEFINITIONS OF THOSE TERMS 
REMAIN UNCLEAR.  APPLICATIONS TO INTERCEPT TELECOMMUNICATIONS 
MUST INVOLVE CRIMES WITH A PENALTY OF AT LEAST SEVEN YEARS 
IMPRISONMENT, WHILE APPLICATIONS FOR COVERT SURVEILLANCE MUST 
INVOLVE CRIMES SUBJECT TO IMPRISONMENT FOR AT LEAST THREE 
 
 
YEARS OR A HK1$ MILLION (USD 128,000) FINE.  AUTHORIZATIONS 
WILL HAVE A MAXIMUM DURATION OF THREE MONTHS, BUT WILL BE 
RENEWABLE.  THE LAW REQUIRES THE CE TO APPOINT AN INDEPENDENT 
COMMISSIONER TO AUDIT THE PROGRAM AND HANDLE COMPLAINTS FROM 
THE PUBLIC. (SEE REF B FOR ADDITIONAL DETAILS ON THE 
LEGISLATION). 
 
AN ASSESSMENT OF THE LAW BY A FAIRLY NEUTRAL OBSERVER 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
¶6. (C) PROFESSOR JOHANNES CHAN, DEAN OF THE HONG KONG 
UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW, TOLD US ON AUGUST 7 THAT WHILE THE 
NEW LAW HAS SOME PROBLEMATIC FEATURES, IT OFFERS "AN 
ACCEPTABLE SYSTEM OVERALL" AND MERELY LEGALIZES WHAT IS 
ALREADY TAKING PLACE IN PRACTICE.  MOREOVER, THE NEW SYSTEM 
IS "PREFERABLE TO WHAT EXISTED BEFORE," SAID CHAN, BECAUSE IT 
INCORPORATES SOME ADDITIONAL SAFEGUARDS.  HE ADDED THAT, 
WHILE PEOPLE CAN LEGITIMATELY CRITICIZE SOME OF THE DETAILS 
OF HOW THE TWO-TIERED SYSTEM IS SET-UP, IN GENERAL, HAVING 
TWO TIERS MAKES SENSE DUE TO THE NUMBER OF SURVEILLANCE 
REQUESTS EXPECTED -- MORE THAN 3000 PER YEAR.  CHAN SAID IT 
IS SIMPLY NOT FEASIBLE TO HAVE A JUDGE VET EACH OF THESE 
REQUESTS.  AS CHAN SEES IT, THE BIGGEST POTENTIAL PROBLEM 
WITH THE LAW IS THE "SPECIAL SECURITY VETTING" OF PANEL 
JUDGES.  CHAN CALLED THIS VETTING "QUITE WORRYING" BECAUSE OF 
ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE JUDICIARY IF THE 
PROCESS WERE USED FOR POLITICAL PURPOSES. 
 
¶7. (C) DESPITE HIS FAIRLY BENIGN VIEW OF THE SUBSTANCE OF THE 
NEW LAW, CHAN SAID THE PROCESS OF ENACTING THE LEGISLATION 
WAS HANDLED SO BADLY THAT IT COULD HAVE A LASTING IMPACT. 
CHAN SAID THAT RUSHING THE BILL THROUGH AT THE LAST MINUTE 
HAD LED TO FURTHER POLARIZATION BETWEEN THE POLITICAL PARTIES 
IN LEGCO.  AT THE SAME TIME, THE GOVERNMENT'S EFFORTS TO WORK 
WITH THE PRO-BEIJING PARTIES TO THWART DEMOCRATIC AMENDMENTS 
CAUSED AN EROSION OF TRUST BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND THE 
DEMOCRATS.  THAT TRUST WILL NOT BE EASILY REGAINED, SAID 
CHAN. 
 
ANOTHER THORNY ISSUE ARISES 
--------------------------- 
 
¶8. (SBU) EVEN BEFORE THE FINAL VOTE, LEGISLATOR "LONG HAIR" 
LEUNG KWOK-HUNG LAUNCHED A JUDICIAL REVIEW CHALLENGING LEGCO 
PRESIDENT RITA FAN'S REFUSAL TO TABLE MANY OF THE AMENDMENTS 
OFFERED BY PRO-DEMOCRACY LEGISLATORS.  (NOTE: ABOUT 200 
PAN-DEMOCRATIC AMENDMENTS WERE APPROVED BY FAN, BUT ALL WERE 
VOTED DOWN.  END NOTE.)  ARTICLE 74 OF THE BASIC LAW STATES 
THAT INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS CANNOT INTRODUCE LEGISLATION THAT 
AFFECTS GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURE OR EXISTING GOVERNMENT POLICY. 
 WHILE ARTICLE 74 PLACES NO EXPLICIT RESTRICTIONS ON THE 
ABILITY OF MEMBERS TO OFFER AMENDMENTS TO BILLS, FAN REJECTED 
MANY INDIVIDUAL AMENDMENTS TO THE COVERT SURVEILLANCE BILL ON 
THE GROUNDS THAT THEY AFFECTED GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURE OR 
EXISTING POLICY.  LEUNG ARGUES THAT FAN'S DECISION VIOLATED 
THE BASIC LAW.  THE HIGH COURT ANNOUNCED ON AUGUST 5 THAT IT 
ACCEPTED LEUNG'S REQUEST FOR A JUDICIAL REVIEW. 
 
¶9. (SBU) HONG KONG UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR SIMON YOUNG SAID 
LEUNG'S CHALLENGE COULD HELP SETTLE THE QUESTION OF HOW MUCH 
POWER LEGCO HAS IN AMENDING LAWS DRAFTED BY THE 
ADMINISTRATION.  CITY UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR JAMES SUNG OPINED 
THAT LEUNG'S CHALLENGE OPENS A WHOLE NEW CAN OF WORMS BY 
TOUCHING ON THE COMPLICATED AND VERY TWISTED POWER 
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LEGCO, THE HONG KONG SAR GOVERNMENT, AND 
THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT. 
SAKAUE