Hong Kong media outlets warned against running prejudicial bail details on defendants
Justice Department sounds the alarm after charges are dropped against two newspapers
The Department of Justice has warned it will prosecute media outlets that run reports of bail negotiations and defendants’ criminal records, despite dropping charges against two local Chinese papers over an alleged contravention.
It also made clear in a statement the importance of banning such reports to prevent prejudicing members of public who could be potential jurors.
This came after Fanling Court dismissed five summonses against Apple Daily and its editor-in-chief, Chan Pui-man, and Ming Pao Daily over an alleged breach of the Criminal Procedure Ordinance.
A subsection of the ordinance states that only the offence and names of the defendant, court and judge as well as the result of the bail proceedings – including conditions when bail is granted – and the next hearing date are permissible for publication in reports on such proceedings.
Contravention is punishable by a fine of HK$50,000 and six years’ imprisonment.
The court heard that last October the two papers published the bail proceedings of Chan Kwok-to and revealed his criminal record before his case was tried at the same court.
