Following is the transcript of remarks by the Secretary for Security, Mr Tang Ping-keung, at a media session after attending the meeting of the Legislative Council today (August 18):
Reporter: Can you reveal to us whether the authorities are investigating the 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund and over what offence if you guys are investigating? Is it the National Security Law?
Secretary for Security: Regarding the organisation you mentioned about, I am afraid I cannot confirm any ongoing investigation as this is against the spirit of natural justice. But I have to say if any organisation has committed an offence, no matter which is national security-related or not, we will fully investigate. If there is evidence, we will arrest and prosecute.
Reporter: On the arrest of University of Hong Kong (HKU) students, some critics are calling these arrests speech crimes and say it's a crackdown of government critics as a whole. How would you respond to that?
Secretary for Security: I think freedom of speech is safeguarded by the Basic Law and also the National Security Law. But if you have committed an offence, there is no excuse whatever background you are, whatever profession you are, we will do it fairly and impartially in accordance with evidence.
Reporter: For people who try to say the stabbing of the police officer is not terrorism, and for people who have expressed sympathy over the HKU students, will these people also be arrested and prosecuted?
Secretary for Security: As I said, we will investigate any allegation of crime, if there is evidence, we will arrest and we will prosecute. And regarding this HKU case, we are going to charge them with inciting terrorist attack. Of course, there is an element of terrorist act, I think those details will be disclosed during the trial period.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
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