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But
run quite the same political risk on another occasion.
there would certainly be an outcry if we let an execution
proceed, particularly as I have shown in the Tsoi case that
I have the power to stop an execution.
This is
5. Against this there is no doubt whatever that Chinese
opinion in Hong Kong is strongly in favour of the death
sentence. Confidence in Hong Kong rests on the belief that
we will not put our own interests before theirs.
therefore a question which goes to the root of the political
relationship. If we decide not to coerce the other
dependencies, this will make abolition look worse in Hong
Kong.
6.
In this situation there is a temptation to do nothing
until we have to. But a case is likely to come up in Hong
Kong within the next six months where a man already in
prison for murdering people by setting fire to their house
is accused of murdering someone else in prison.
If we
decide to let the law stay as it is, there might be advan-
tage in avoiding discussion until a case of such seriousness
arises. But if we decide to abolish, the context of a very
bad case would be the worst possible one for our interests
in Hong Kong.
7. The Governor is well aware of the difficulty for us of
any further executions. He is a very experienced political
officer. In the Tsoi case it was an unavoidable misfortune
that his decision was immediately followed by the debates on
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