GRS 400
IMMEDIATE
CYPHER CAT/A
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CONFIDENTIAL
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CONFIDENTIAL
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915
(60
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG (PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR) TELEGRAM NUMBER 446
OF 8 MAY. 1973
PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM SECRETARY OF STATE.
DEATH SENTENCE
1. YOU WILL HAVE SEEN FROM A SEPARATE TELEGRAM THAT I HAVE ASKED FOR A PSYCHIATRIC REPORT SINCE I THINK THAT IN REVIEWING THIS CASE MUST BE SATISFIED THAT ABSOLUTELY EVERY CONSIDERATION HAS BEEN TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT AND SHOULD I DECIDE THAT THE LAW SHOULD TAKE ITS COURSE AND I COULD THEN SAY SO PUBLICLY,
2. I AM GLAD THAT ANDREW STUART IS COMING OUT TO HONG KONG ON OTHER BUSINESS AND HAVE ASKED HIM TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE WHOLE BACK- GROUND WHICH IS VERY DIFFICULT. YOU WILL NOT BE SURPRISED TO HEAR THAT THERE IS QUITE A GROUNDSWELL DEVELOPING AMONG MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT ABOUT THE DEATH PENALTY IN HONG KONG AND THIS IS AN INTENSELY EMOTIONAL ISSUE. IT IS, AS HAS ALREADY BEEN EXPLAINED, A VERY UNFORTUNATE COINCIDENCE THAT WE HAVE JUST HAD A VOTE IN PARLIAMENT ABOUT THE DEATH PENALTY IN THE U.K. AND THAT A DECISION HAS BEEN TAKEN AND WILL SHORTLY BE ANNOUNCED TO ABOLISH IT IN NORTHERN IRELAND. IN ALL THESE CIRCUMSTANCES I AM AFRAID THAT AN EXECUTION NOW IN HONG KONG WOULD LEAD, AS YOU SAY IN PARAGRAPH 3 CF YOUR TELEGRAM NO 490, TO A PROLONGED PUBLICISED AND BITTER RUNNING BATTLE IN WHICH HONG KONG WAS SUBJECT OF DAMAGING POLITICAL
CONTROVERSY.
3. THIS LEADS ME TO THINK THAT WE NEED A REVIEW OF POLICY ON THE DEATH PENALTY BY YOUR EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE COUNCILS, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT THIS YOURSELF AND ABOUT THE MODALITIES AND PRESENTATION. TO SATISFY PARLIAMENTARY OPINION HERE
CONFIDENTIAL
/ IT WOULD
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