GR 610
PRIORITY
CONFIDENTIAL
CYPHER CAT A
21 HONG KONG #91815Z
CONFIDENTIAL
TO PRIORITY F C O TELNO 586 OF 9 MAY 1978..
FOR STEWART HKGD.
HKK 380/2
42
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY MO. 51
1 1 MAY 1973
DESK OFNCOR
INDEX
No
PA
Action Tran
"In as
YOU WILL WISH TO KNOW THAT TODAY'S NEWSPAPERS CARRY REPORTS OF A PRESS CONFERENCE GIVEN YESTERDAY BY MRS ELLIOTT (ACCOMPANIED BY SANGUINETTI - A LOCAL BARRISTER) AT WHICH SHE IS REPORTED AS ATTACKING THE POLICE FOR FRAMING DEFENDANTS, CERTAIN MAGISTRATES (UNNAMED) FOR THE WAY IN WHICH THEY CONDUCT CRIMINAL CASES, AND THE LEGAL PROFESSION AS A WHOLE. SHE ALSO CRITICISES THE POLICE COMPLAINTS OFFICE AND QUESTIONS THE USEFULNESS OF THE UMELCO
COMPLAINTS AGAINST THE POLICE GROUP.
2. THE NEWSPAPER REPORTS SAY THAT A ''REPORT'' PREPARED BY
MRS ELLIOTT AND MR SANGUINETTI HAS BEEN SENT TO ME. I HAVE NOT
RECEIVED A''REPORT'' AS SUCH THOUGH I HAVE RECEIVED A LENGTHY
LETTER FROM MRS ELLIOTT RAISING THESE MATTERS. A COPY OF THE
LETTER AND COMMENTS WILL FOLLOW.
3. THE BACKGROUND IS THIS. EARLIER THIS YEAR, THERE WAS A HUNGER
STRIKE BY INMATES OF MA PO PING PRISON. MRS ELLIOTT SUBSEQUENTLY
MADE ALLEGATIONS OF MALTREATMENT OF PRISONERS. THE COMMISSIONER
OF PRISONS INVITED HER TO VISIT ANY PRISON SHE WISHED AND SHE
HAS SINCE VISITED A CONSIDERABLE NUMBER OF PENAL INSTITUTIONS.
SHE NOW SAYS THAT THE GENERAL PICTURE IN PRISONS IS GOOD AND SHE MISFIRED ON THIS ISSUE. TYPICALLY, SHE HAS SWITCHED HER GROUND FROM AN ISSUE HAVING NO BASIS TO ONE WHICH HAS AN ELEMENT OF TRUTH SHE SAYS THAT DURING HER VISITS TO THESE INSTITUTIONS SHE RECEIVED NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS AGAINST THE POLICE FROM INMATES. THIS
PLAINLY LED TO THE GENERAL ATTACK WHICH SHE HAS LAUNCHED.
4. THERE IS SOME TRUTH IN HER ALLEGATION THAT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN
FRAMED. IT IS A MATTER WHICH HAS CAUSED US GREAT CONCERN FOR A WHILE NOW. CAREFUL ENQUIRIES ARE MADE WHENEVER SPECIFIC CASES ARE BROUGHT TO OUR NOTICE BUT SUCH CASES ARE INEVITABLY DIFFICULT AND THE QUESTION IS NOT OFTEN RESOLVED SATISFACTORILY.
CONFIDENTIAL
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