V
1636
COUNCIL
PROF. J. N. D. ANDERSON, O.B.E.
BRYAN ANNS
PETER ARCHER, Q.C., M.P.
MICHAEL BRYCESON
PETER CARTER-RUCK
MICHAEL ELLMAN
PHILIP ENGLISH
THE LORD FOOT
EDWARD GARDNER, Q.C., M.P.
PROF. J. F. GARNER
WILLIAM GOODHART
PERCY GRIEVE, Q.C., M.P.
PROF. C. J. HAMSON
GLYN HARDWICKE
MUIR HUNTER, Q.C.
TOM KELLOCK, Q.C.
PHILIP KIMBER
JAMES LEMKIN
JUSTICE
(BRITISH SECTION OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION OF JURISTS.)
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CHAIRMAN OF COUNCIL:
THE RT. HON. LORD GARDINER
VICE-CHAIRMAN:
SIR JOHN FOSTER, K.B.E., Q.C., M.P.
CHAIRMAN OF EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE:
GEOFFREY GARRETT
VICE-CHAIRMAN:
LEWIS HAWSER, Q.C.
HONORARY TREASURER:
THE RT, HON, SIR ELWYN JONES, Q.C., M.P.
DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH
ALEC SAMUELS
SECRETARY:
TOM SARGANT, O,B.E., J.P.
LEGAL SECRETARY:
R. C. H. BRIGGS
12, CRANE COURT,
FLEET STREET,
LONDON, E.C.4
Telephone: 01-353 9428
Cables: JUSTJURIST LONDON
AINSLIE NAIRN
PAUL SIEGHART
THE HON. SAM SILKIN, Q.C., M.P.
PETER WEBSTER, Q.C.
CHARLES WEGG-PROSSER WILLIAM WELLS, Q.C., M.P.
BASIL WIGODER, Q.C.
YOUR REF.
OUR REF.
ALL COMMUNICATIONS SHOULD BE
ADDRESSED TO THE SECRETARY
22nd May 1973
Dear aor. Wood,
I am writing to you because I have been told by the Foreign Office that legal and other internal affairs of Hong Kong come under your Administration.
Representations have recently been made to us by our Hong Kong Branch regarding Bills recently published in Hong Kong which are designed to give greater sen- tencing powers to Magistrates' and District Courts with- out any compensating safeguards.
The very serious objections to the proposals are so clearly set out in the enclosed press statement issued by our Branch that I do not think that I need to elabo- rate or emphasise them in any way. I would however like to draw special attention to point (c) and say that it cannot be right for any person to have to defend himself impromptu on a charge which could result in a sentence of four years imprisonment.
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