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CUHK won't fund students' appeal
By Teddy Ng (HK Edition)

The Chinese University of Hong Kong will not provide financial assistance to the students in their appeal against a tribunal ruling that classified two editions of the student journal as indecent since the journal was independent from the university.

The university Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Jack Cheng Chun-yiu, however, told the journal editorial's committee in a meeting yesterday that they would arrange lawyers and some alumni lawyers were willing to provide service on pro bono.

The Obscene Articles Tribunal classified the February and March editions of the journal, which contained material on incest and bestiality, as indecent on Tuesday. The classification was formally announced in a notice published in yesterday's newspaper.

Distribution of such materials to juvenile would be subject to a maximum penalty of HK$400,000 fine and one-year imprisonment.

Cheng, the university dean of student, Ho Puay-peng, director of student affairs Timothy Leung Tin-ming, Chung Chi College students affairs dean Fong Wing-ping and 12 students representatives, attended the meeting which was convened to discuss the possible assistance provided by the university and the disciplinary procedure.

Cheng told reporters after the meeting that the university respected freedom of expression, and had no intention to restrict students from publishing the sex column.

Some alumni lawyers were willing to help the students, and believed some of them would raise fund in personal capacity, he said.

"We respect editorial independence of the journal. The journal is independent from the university. The university has not censored the journal. It is also not the direct publisher and writer of the journal. So it is not appropriate to use public fund to help students with the legal procedure," Cheng said.

Cheng also said the appeal should not be launched under the university's name.

The university had earlier issued a statement, saying disciplinary action might be taken against the editorial committee. But Cheng said the disciplinary procedure would be suspended until further notice because of the pending legal procedure.

The students said they were disappointed with the university's refusal to give financial support.

"The university should care about its students, giving them suitable assistance whenever necessary. I wonder whether our university is doing that," said editorial committee member Lee Nga-chong.

Alleging that the university management lacked sincerity, Ng Ka-lun, the journal's former editor, said they had sent three letters to the university before the meeting, clarifying the disciplinary procedure and demanding that such an action should not be taken against the current editorial committee as they only took office in April.

"But it seems that the university officials in the meeting have not read the letters. They cannot tell us whether the disciplinary procedure would be launched," he said.

"The students are under heavy pressure, but they were very restrained in the meeting. But Pro-Vice-Chancellor Cheng does not show sincerity. I wonder where the university would push the students to," he said.

The students held a meeting with lawyer Lee Kim-hung immediately after the press conference, hoping to clarify matters on appeal procedure and possible legal proceedings after the appeal.

In a press conference held earlier yesterday, the Hong Kong Federation of Students urged the government to exempt the editorial committee members from criminal liability.

"Criminal responsibility will set such a bad precedent that students will dare not challenge the moral limit of the community and fight against injustice," said the federation secretary-general Li Yu-kee.

However, the student unions of the University of Hong Kong and Lingnan University said the matter was not related to academic freedom.

The student journal chief editor, Tsang Chiu-wai said improvement measures would be taken in the May edition, the publication date of which had not yet been decided.

The measures included organizing forum at the end of the month, gathering feedback on how the journal could be improved.

Academics would be invited to contribute article on sex-related topics.

"We will invite articles with high academic values to enrich the discussion," he said.

(HK Edition 05/18/2007 page6)