21 men, including private tutors, arrested for possessing child porn, unlawful filming

Hong Kong police have made 21 arrests, including private tutors, for possessing child pornography and unlawful filming. Superintendent Wong Yick-lung revealed that officers discovered a social media chat group with child pornography and upskirt images taken in public places. The arrested men, aged 19 to 47, worked as students, technicians, cleaners, and construction workers.

They were apprehended on Monday and Tuesday and released on bail. Eight suspects were charged with possessing child pornography, while 13 were accused of unlawful filming and publishing intimate images. The police confiscated over 7,200 child pornography images and more than 120 surreptitiously filmed videos from the arrested men's electronic devices.

Chief Inspector So Chi-bing warned that individuals joining online groups to view child pornography or other non-consensual intimate photos could face criminal charges. Parents hiring private tutors should obtain a police background check to prevent employing sex offenders. The police will continue investigating the sources of the photos and videos and determine if the arrested men had been involved in other sexual offenses.

The Sexual Conviction Record Check scheme, initiated in 2011, allows organizations to verify prospective employees' criminal records, including those related to sexual offenses. Hong Kong's sex crime laws are undergoing reform to improve child and mentally impaired protection, with severe penalties proposed for offenses against minors and people with mental disabilities.