最近有 客戶查詢， 他的親戚剛非法入境香港便被捕，是否有"即捕即解" 的政策? 我們建議需要向檢控當局查詢有没有更改政策。如沒有更改政策的話，目前關於起訴非法入境的政策，見於下列引文：-
“自 1990 年 11 月起，在非法入境後, 未得處長授權而留在香港的非法入境者, 根據《入境條例》（第 115 章）第 38(1)條被檢控的類別如下：
(1) 在就業地點被發現的所有非法入境者，無論被發現的人數多少, 都將被起訴。
(2) 所有非法入境者同時犯了罪, 無論該罪是否與入境有關。
(3) 所有先前因犯罪行 (而(a) 非法留港；(b)使用他人身份証的罪行除外) 被判處有期徒刑的非法入境者”(見LAW KWAN (HCMA1068/1991)一案)。
如果客户的親戚不屬於上述的類別，當局理應根據相關政策，立即將其親戚遣返原居地，而不作出檢控。因為，上訴庭曾敦促有關當局，“希望當局日後在根據入境條例作出檢控時能更仔細審查，以免對那些未受檢控政策涵蓋的人作出檢控時處理方式不一，從而導致對於個別受檢控者明顯不公的情況。這樣還有一個好處: 節省法庭時間。”(見 NG TUNG FONG HCMA1296/1990)一案)。如有關當局並沒有根據政策而檢控，法庭或上訴庭理應發出立即釋放的命令。
即便上訴庭已清楚作出上述指引，但有關當局不依循檢控政策，那些未受檢控政策涵蓋的人，本来可以即回原地，郤被檢控拘留，只能等待法庭判處釋放，等候期間便已被拘留數月。 犯了非法入境罪的人，他們的權利需要受到保護嗎? 他們需要受到公平對待嗎? 他們的自由有没有被剝奪? 這些問題都是值得深思的。
作者: 拉貝灑義
la bel sa i
** 博客文章文責自負,不代表本公司立場 **
A client, a relative of whom was arrested upon illegal entry into Hong Kong, recently inquired whether there is a "deportation upon arrest" policy. We suggest the client to check with the prosecuting authorities for any changes to the relevant policy. If there has been no change, the current policy governing the prosecution of illegal immigrants is as follows:
"Since November 1990 the categories of illegal iminigrants who are prosecuted for remaining in Hong Kong without the authority of the Director, having landed unlawfully, under section 38(1) of the Immigration Ordinance, Cap. 115 are:
(1) All IIs found at places of employment to be prosecuted regardless of the number found.
(2) All IIs committing offences whether immigration related or not.
(3) All IIs who have been previously sentenced to a term of imprisonment for an offence other than:
(a) illegally remaining;
(b) using an I.D. card relating to another person."
(see LAW KWAN (HCMA1068/1991)
If the client’s relative does not fall into the aforesaid categories, the authorities should, in accordance with the relevant policy, immediately deport him/her back to his/her country of origin without prosecution. This is because the Court of Appeal has offered the following advice to the relevant authorities: “ It is to be hoped that for the future a much closer scrutiny will be applied to prosecutions under the Immigration Ordinance so as to avoid the manifest unfairness to individuals resulting from the prosecutions of persons who lie outside prosecuting policy causing one individual to be dealt with in a manner different from another. This would also have the meritorious effect of saving the time of the courts.” (NG TUNG FONG HCMA1296/1990) If the relevant authorities did not prosecute in accordance with the policy, the court or the Court of Appeal should issue an order for immediate release.
Where the authorities do not adhere to the prosecution policy in spite of the clear guidelines set out by the Court of Appeal, those lying outside the prosecution policy will still be detained upon prosecution instead of being deported back to their countries of origin immediately. They can only wait for the court to issue an order for their release, and that would mean a detention of several months in the meantime. Should the rights of illegal immigrants be protected? Should they be treated fairly? Has their freedom been denied? All these questions are worth pondering.
Author : La bel Sa I
