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From The Minister of State
The Rt Hon The Lord Goronwy-Roberts
N Dard 8713110
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
London SW1A 2AH
12 October 1977
НКК 380 17.
from Keith,
IN
No //] Jn.
7
Thank you for your letter of 27 September about Mr Christopher Clements. The Hong Kong Government have told me that this trial has been set down for hearing on the thirteen working days from 12 - 30 December. The court will be in recess only over the week-ends and on 26 and 27 December for Christmas. I understand that the trial was postponed from the date originally proposed, partly to suit the convenience of the court and partly to meet a request from Defence Counsel for adequate notice. The Prosecution has not asked for or caused any delay.
As to the conditions in which Mr Clements is being held, I am told that, although at night he is confined to a 54 square foot cell, during the day he shares a semi-outdoor dining and recreation hall with other remand prisoners. When he was admitted Mr Clements was asked whether he wished to work, but he declined. However, the prison authorities are now considering a recent request from him to do so. As to entertainment, the hall in which he spends the day has a television and library facilities and, the latter apart, Mr Clements has been sent nearly forty books and over 80 newspapers since his admission. Local papers are also available in the library and additional recreat-
/ional