Art 23 places no limits on press freedom: Paul Lam

Justice Secretary Paul Lam on Monday said national security legislation under Article 23 of the Basic Law places no "extra and unreasonable" restrictions on press freedom and the media can still sharply criticise the government. In an op-ed published in Ming Pao Daily, the minister said there was no move to introduce restrictions on the press through the law. He said the administration wants the media to pass on accurate, fair and positive information, lead society to make adjustments and seek changes. "At the same time, [officials] need to comprehensively know the ideas, needs and demands from the public [through the press]," Lam wrote. He said so long as the media continue to be impartial, objective and fair in adhering to fundamental professional codes in seeking the truth, there is no need for journalists to be particularly concerned about violating the security law. In the piece titled "Change and no change", Lam said while the enactment of the homegrown security law last month marked a major change, there are also things that have remained constant such as the values of common law and the rule of law. "On the one hand it improved the legislation on safeguarding national security. It also fully respects fundamental human rights and freedoms on the other," he wrote.