法律援助署五十周年紀念特刊 | Legal Aid Department 50th Anniversary Commemorative Publication

使用國旗及區旗作為發表自由的方法 Utilising national and regional flags for freedom of expression 上訴人：香港特別行政區 Appellant: Hong Kong Special Administrative Region 答辯人：吳恭劭 | 利建潤 Respondents: Ng Kung Siu | Lee Kin Yun 終審法院判決日期：1999年12月15日 Date of Court of Final Appeal Judgment: 15 December 1999 類別：刑事－人權 Category: Criminal – Human Rights 個案重溫 Case Study Grounds of Appeal 上訴理據 ． 答辯人提出上訴，理由是將侮辱國旗及區旗的行為 列為刑事罪行與發表自由的權利相抵觸。 ． 上訴法庭裁定答辯人上訴得直。 ． 上訴人向終審法院提出上訴。 相關爭議 ． 在1998年一次示威活動中，兩名答辯人嚴重塗污 中華人民共和國國旗及香港特別行政區區旗。兩 面旗幟上均寫上「恥」字，答辯人並高聲喊叫 「建立民主中國」。 ． 據報，答辯人利建潤指「撕毀及塗污國旗、區旗是 表達對非民選執政者的不滿和抗爭行動」。 ． 兩名答辯人分別被控觸犯《國旗及國徽條例》第7 條及《區旗及區徽條例》第7條的規定，即任何人 公開及故意侮辱國旗或區旗，即屬違法。 ． 兩名答辯人被判罪名成立後向上訴法庭就定罪提 出上訴。 Dispute ． The Respondents extensively defaced national (the People’s Republic of China) and regional (the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region) flags during a demonstration in 1998. The Chinese character ‘shame’ was written on the flags and the respondents chanted “build up a democratic China.” ． The Respondent Lee Kin Yun was reported saying that “damaging and defiling the national and regional flags was a way to express the dissatisfaction and resistance to the ruler who was not elected by the people.” ． The Respondents were charged under sections 7 of National Flag Ordinance (NFO) and Regional Flag Ordinance (RFO) respectively, which provide that a person who publicly and wilfully desecrates national or regional flags commits an offence. ． The Respondents were convicted after trial. They appealed to the Court of Appeal on conviction. ． The Respondents filed appeal on the ground that criminalising desecration of the national and regional flags was inconsistent with the guarantee of freedom of expression. ． The Court of Appeal ruled in favour of Respondents. ． The Appellant filed an appeal to the Court of Final Appeal. P.72 法治基石、彰顯公義 Legal Aid for the Rule of Law and Justice 終院刑事上訴1999年第4號 FACC No. 4 of 1999