DEFAMATION ORDINANCE 4 Section 3 Cap. 21 “information” (告發) includes indictment; “international court of justice” (國際法院) means the International Court of Justice and any other judicial or arbitral tribunal deciding matters in dispute between States; “legislature” (立法機構) , in relation to any part of the Commonwealth which is subject to a central and a local legislature, means either of those legislatures; “newspaper” (報刊) means any paper containing public news or observations thereon or consisting wholly or mainly of advertisements which is printed for sale and is published in Hong Kong either periodically or in parts or numbers at intervals not exceeding 36 days; (Amended 23 of 1986 s. 2) “proprietor” (東主) includes lessee; “report of the Legislative Council” (立法局報告) includes any report, paper, vote or other proceeding of the Council; “words” (言詞) includes pictures, visual images, gestures and other methods of signifying meaning. (Replaced 33 of 1961 s. 2) [cf. 1952 c. 66 ss. 7, 9 & Schedule Part III U.K.] 3. Admissibility in evidence, in mitigation of damages in action for defamation, of apology In any action for defamation it shall be competent to the defendant (after notice in writing of his intention to do so duly given to the plaintiff within a reasonable time before the trial of the cause) to give in evidence in mitigation of damages that he made or offered an apology to the plaintiff for such defamation before the commencement of the action, or as soon afterwards as he had an opportunity of doing so in case the action has been commenced before there was an opportunity of making or offering such apology. Last updated date 1.4.2012