Hong Kong - A Hong Kong man accused of sending naked photos on the web of singer-actor Edison Chen and a string of young starlets claimed in court Tuesday the pictures were not obscene. Clerk Kwok Chun-wai, 24, is accused of posting internet hyperlinks directing people to a website from which they could download files containing explicit photos of Chen and the women.
He faces three charges of distributing obscene photos on the internet involving around 90 images that were viewed by millions of internet users in Hong Kong and mainland China.
At a hearing in Hong Kong's Kwun Tong court Tuesday, however, Kwok indicated that he wanted to challenge the basis of the charges against him, arguing that the pictures could not be classified as obscene.
Magistrate Amanda Woodcock referred the case to the Obscene Articles Tribunal for a ruling on the issue after being informed of the challenge by prosecutors.
Kwok was released on bail until a June hearing. He has not yet entered a plea on the obscenity charges that have been levelled against him.
Kwok is one of nine people arrested in the notorious case which involved nude pictures downloaded from Chen's computer and uploaded on the internet in January.
Chen, 27, last month apologized to the women involved, who included Twins singer Gillian Chung and other so-called Canto-pop starlets, and announced he was giving up his show business career.
