Three complaints against government snooping had already been filed by the time the city's new surveillance adjudicator arrived for his first day at work yesterday.
Mr Justice Woo Kwok-hing pledged to thoroughly investigate any complaints to the statutory body, which was established by the controversial covert surveillance bill passed after a marathon special Legco session this month.
'Anybody can complain,' the Commissioner on Interception of Communications and Surveillance said. 'It is my job to see whether any surveillance was carried out, and if yes, to see if it was done in accordance with the law.
'If it was not, I have to notify the complainants and ask if they want to apply for compensation.'
But Mr Justice Woo said if a surveillance operation was carried out against the complainant but was done with proper authorisation, he would only be able to say the complaint was unsubstantiated, leaving the complainant in the dark as to whether he was the subject of surveillance. He said this was important to prevent any abuse of the system, and to avoid tipping off criminals.
'I cannot say much more than that,' he said. 'If I say more, that could be dangerous because criminals could abuse the system. I certainly cannot tell them they are being bugged, but it is in accordance with legal procedures.
'That would tip them off and they would find ways to circumvent the bugging. It would jeopardise police investigations.'
