(549
Hul
'YPHER/CAT'A'.
ROUTINE HONG KONG
TELEGRAM NUMBER 802
CONFIDENTIAL
Second copy for entry in ...Dept.
Top COPONFIDENTIAL copy sont
Secret.
F.....Dept.
TO COMMONWEALTH OFF CRECEIVED IN
DATED 22 JUNE 1968
"
ARCHIVES N
24 JUN 1968
ADDRESSED CO TELEGRAM NO. 802 OF 22ND JUNE REPEATED PEKING.
TAW03/2
592) PEKING TELEGRAM TO FOREIGN OFFICE NO. 587 PARAGRAPH 3.0
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A COMPREHENSIVE STUDY RECENTLY COMPLETED HERE, WITH WHICH I
BROADLY AGREE, CONCLUDES THAT ANY POSSIBILITY OF ATTEMPTING
TO ARRANGE RELEASES TO CHINA IS NOT AT PRESENT WORTH PURSUING
AND THAT RELEASES IN HONG KONG ARE THE ONLY MOVE THE CHINESE .
CHINE
WOULD ACCEPT.
..
2. I FEAR I STILL CANNOT CONTEMPLATE EARLY RELEASES OF THOSE
CONVICTED OF CRIMES EXCEPT IN THE CASE OF CERTAIN YOUNG OFFENDERS ·
WHO SHOW SIGNS OF LESS INTRANS IGENCE, A CONSIDERABLE NUMBER OF
WHOM I HAVE ALREADY RELEASED EARLY UNDER THE NORMAL PROCEDURES
APPLICABLE TO YOUNG PERSONS.
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3. WHILE NEWSWORKERS WERE NOT GUILTY OF SERIOUS VIOLENCE, NEVER-
-THELESS CHARGES AGAINST THEM WERE ASSOCIATED WITH MOB DISORDER OF
LIGH
A KIND WHICH CANNOT BE LIGHTLY OVERLOOKED.
4. IF REMISSION RATES ARE TO BE GENERALLY REDUCED, IT CAN ONLY BE
FROM TWO THIRDS TO ONE HALF RATE. SUCH A RATE FOR THE ORDINARY ·
RUN OF PRISONERS WOULD BOTH BE CI BELIEVE). UNPRECEDENTED AND
WOULD REDUCE THE WHOLE SYSTEM TO NEAR ABSURDITY. IT MIGHT ALSO
ONLY RESULT IN THE COURTS IMPOSING HEAVIER SENTENCES WHICH
ON GENERAL GROUNDS WOULD NOT BE DESIRABLE. IN ANY CASE THESE
PRISONERS ARE STILL BEING ALLOWED TO EARN REMISSION, ALTHOUGH
THEIR BEHAVIOUR DOES NOT ENTITLE THEM TO IT.
CONFIDENT TAL
/5. ONLY
LAST
592
REF
596 598
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