petitioned Her for mercy, and in whose favour the Governor had not
felt able to exercise his own delegated Prerogative. This decision
was taken in the light of very special political circumstances in
the United Kingdom at the time, because the case coincided with
parliamentary discussion on the issue of capital punishment both in
itself and in its application to Northern Ireland.
B. Capital Punishment in independent countries near Dependent
Territories where death penalty is retained
4.
Excluding Hong Kong, all the dependencies in which the death
penalty is retained are in the Caribbean area. The neighbouring
countries in question are: Grenada and the West Indian Associated
States, and Cuba, Haiti, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Puerto
Rico, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Venezuela.
5. We have no accurate information readily available on the
retention of capital punishment in all these countries. We know
that it exists in Guatemala, Columbia, Grenada and in all the
Associated States, and that it has been abolished in Costa Rica.
We believe that it is retained in all or nearly all of the others.
C. Capital Punishment in Commonwealth countries
6. Only Australia and New Zealand have abolished capital
punishment.
Canada has abolished it except in cases of murder of
a Police or Prison Officer. All other members of the Commonwealth
have retained it. Kenya, Zambia and Nigeria have recently
extended it to include punishment for armed robbery.
D.
7.
Retention of Capital Punishment in Dependent Territories
The Murder (Abolition of the Death Penalty) Act 1965 which
received the Royal Assent on 8 November 1965, provided for the
/abolition
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