### Prevention of Copyright Piracy Ordinance 《防止盜用版權條例》

31C. Unauthorized possession of video recording equipment in place of public entertainment prohibited
(1) Any person who, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, has in his possession in a place of public entertainment any video recording equipment commits an offence and is liable—
(a) on a first conviction, to a fine at level 2; and
(b) on a second or subsequent conviction, to a fine at level 5 and to imprisonment for 3 months.
(2) For the purposes of subsection (1), a person shall be deemed to have video recording equipment in his possession in a place of public entertainment, notwithstanding that it is not in his actual possession, if he knowingly and wilfully has it in the actual custody or possession of some other person in that place, or has it in that place, whether the video recording equipment is in such custody, possession or place for the use of that person or for the use or benefit of another person.
(3) For the purposes of subsection (1), a person has lawful authority to possess video recording equipment in a place of public entertainment if the manager of the place, or any person authorized in that behalf by the manager, expressly consents to that possession.

31D. Refusal of admission, etc.
(1) Notwithstanding any other law, it shall be lawful for the manager of a place of public entertainment, or any person authorized in that behalf by the manager, to refuse to admit to that place, or to require to leave that place, any person who has in his possession any video recording equipment.
(2) Where a person fails to leave a place of public entertainment after being required to do so under subsection (1), the manager, or any person authorized in that behalf by the manager, may remove that person from that place by the use of reasonable force if necessary.

31E. Display of notices
(1) The manager of a place of public entertainment shall display and keep displayed notices, in English and Chinese, to the effect that the unauthorized possession of video recording equipment in that place is prohibited, which notices shall be in the prescribed form and include the prescribed statements.
(2) The manager shall display the notices referred to in subsection (1) in the manner and in the locations required by the regulations.
(3) The manager shall maintain the notices referred to in subsection (1) in legible condition and good order.
(4) Any manager who contravenes subsection (1), (2) or (3) commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine at level 2.
(5) In this section, manager (管理人) also includes any person who holds or is required to hold a licence granted under the Places of Public Entertainment Ordinance (Cap. 172) in relation to the place of public entertainment.

### Prevention of Copyright Piracy Ordinance 《防止盜用版權條例》

31F. Power of authorized officers to enter and search, etc.
(1) An authorized officer may, with the consent of the manager or any person authorized in that behalf by the manager, and without a warrant and without payment of any admission fee or other charge, enter and search any place of public entertainment.
(2) An authorized officer may enter and search any place of public entertainment without a warrant and without the consent of the manager or any other person, and without payment of any admission fee or other charge, if—
(a) the authorized officer has reason to suspect that any offence under this Part has been or is being committed; and
(b) the delay necessary to obtain a warrant could result in the loss or destruction of evidence or for any other reason it would not be reasonably practicable to obtain a warrant.
(3) An authorized officer may, in exercising his powers under subsection (1) or (2)—
(a) search any person if he has reason to suspect that the person has in his actual possession any video recording equipment in respect of which an offence has been committed under section 31C; and
(b) seize, remove or detain any video recording equipment or other thing which appears to him to be or to contain, or to be likely to be or to contain, evidence of an offence under this Part.
(4) An authorized officer may—
(a) use reasonable force to remove any person or thing obstructing him in the exercise of any power conferred on him by this section;
(b) detain any person found in any place which he is empowered by this section to enter and search if, after inquiry, he has reasonable grounds for believing the person is connected with the subject-matter of the search and he considers it necessary to detain the person in order to be able to adequately perform the search; and
(c) require the manager of the place or any other person who appears to be at the time responsible for the control or management of the place to give information or render assistance that may be necessary to enable the authorized officer to carry out his functions under this section.

32. Appointment of authorized officers
The Commissioner may authorize in writing any public officer to exercise any of the powers and perform any of the duties conferred or imposed on an authorized officer by this Ordinance.

### Prevention of Copyright Piracy Ordinance 《防止盜用版權條例》

33. Protection of the Commissioner, authorized officers and persons assisting them
(1) The Commissioner and authorized officers are not liable for any loss or damage suffered by any person as a result of any action taken or omitted to be taken by them in good faith in the exercise of their powers or the performance of their duties under this Ordinance.
(2) Any person may act in aid of an authorized officer who appears to be lawfully engaged in the exercise of any power or the performance of any duty under this Ordinance upon being requested by the authorized officer to do so and without being bound to inquire whether or not the authorized officer is acting lawfully or within the scope of his powers or duties.
(3) A person acting in good faith in aid of an authorized officer under subsection (2) is not liable for any loss or damage suffered by any person as a result of any action taken or omitted to be taken by him while so acting.
(4) Nothing in this section shall affect any civil liability of the Government for the wrongful acts of its servants.

33A. Obstruction of authorized officers
(1) Without prejudice to any other Ordinance, any person who—
(a) wilfully obstructs an authorized officer in the exercise of his powers or the performance of his duties under this Ordinance;
(b) wilfully fails to comply with any requirement properly made to him by any such authorized officer;
(c) without reasonable excuse, fails to give such authorized officer any other assistance which he may reasonably require to be given for the purpose of exercising his powers or performing his duties under this Ordinance; or
(d) breaks or interferes with a seal affixed by an authorized officer under section 18(5),
commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine at level 4 and to imprisonment for 1 year.
(2) Any person who, when required to give information to the Commissioner or an authorized officer in the exercise of his powers or the performance of his duties under this Ordinance, knowingly gives false or misleading information commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine at level 4 and to imprisonment for 1 year.
(3) Nothing in this section requires any person to give any information which may incriminate him.
(4) No person commits an offence under subsection (1)(d) if he breaks or interferes with a seal affixed by an authorized officer under section 18(5)—
(a) in the bona fide belief that it is necessary immediately to break or interfere with the seal in order to prevent injury being suffered by any person or damage being incurred to any premises, place, machinery, equipment or other thing; or
(b) in the exercise of his duties as a public officer.
(Added 64 of 2000 s. 33)