The Executive Council has approved the introduction of the Interception of Communications and Surveillance Bill into the Legislative Council (LegCo), Hong Kong Secretary for Security Ambrose Lee said Wednesday.

Lee told lawmakers that law enforcement agencies have conducted 178 cases of communications interception and 170 covert surveillances. He will count the cases arising since Feb. 20 for three months and inform the Security Panel.

He said the legislative proposals on communications interception are based on the recommendations of the Law Reform Commission in 1996, the 1997 White Bill on interception as well as the Interception of Communications Ordinance.

The bill sets out the definitions and the conditions for the issue, renewal or continuance of prescribed authorizations for the conduct of interception of communications and covert surveillance operations.

Improvements have been added to the draft, such as safeguards for privacy and against abuse, taking into account views received in consolations in recent months.

The bill will be gazetted on March 3, and tabled at LegCo on March 8.

Source: Xinhua