GRS 90
PRIORITY
CYPHER/CAT A
FM HONG KONG 100400Z
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
RECEIVED IN
REGISTRY No.52
10 SEP 1974
NXKY/5
1974
310
TO PRIORITY F C O TEL NO 918 OF 10 SEPTEMBER/INFO PRIORITY SAIGON.
126
(135)
YOUR TEL NO 658 AND MY TEL NO 766:
LAST
REF
NEXT
135
RETURN OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS TO SOUTH VIETNAM.
REF.
IN PARAGRAPH 5 OF MY TELEGRAM UNDER REFERENCE,
WE REPORTED NOTICE OF APPEAL AGAINST SENTENCE BY THE 11
JOURNALISTS WHO HAD CONVICTIONS RECORDED AGAINST THEM BY THE MAGISTRATE. ON 7 SEPTEMBER THE CHIEF JUSTICE UPHELD THE MAGISTRATE'S DECISION, MAINLY ON THE GROUND THAT THE ONLY WAY TO DETER SUCH OFFENCES WAS TO RECORD CONVICTIONS AGAINST THE JOURNALSITS.
2, THIS MAY REKINDLE PRESS INTEREST IN RESULT OF TRIAL OF THE 113
IN SAIGON. CRITICAL EDITORIAL COMMENT HAS APPEARED IN THE ENGLISH
PRESS.
MACLEHOSE
FILES
HKIOD
SEAD
FED
MVD
NEWS D
PS/LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS
SIR D WATSON
MR WILFORD
CONFIDENTIAL