GRS 245
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO 141700Z DEC 82
CONFIDENTIAL
* €262 22% 172.
TOP COPY
42313
1
7NX384/428/LAMINT
1 DEC7SZ
PA
NEAISTRY 4 st on Taken
IN:
TO PRIORITY MONROVIA
TELEGRAM NUMBER 83 OF 15 DECEMBER
INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG
EONG KONG TEL NO.1436: EXTRADITION OF LAM WAI-TING
1. GRATEFUL IF YOU WOULD NOW RAISE FORMALLY WITH LOCAL
AUTHORITIES QUESTION OF LAM'S LIKELY SENTENCE SHOULD HE BE
RETURNED AND CONVICTED. PLEASE SEEK THEIR COMMENTS ON LIKELIHOOD
OF A LIBERIAN COURT AWARDING THE DEATH PENALTY IN THE EVENT OF
A CONVICTION AND, IF AWARDED, THE LIKELIHOOD OF IT BEING FUT INTO
EFFECT.
2.
IDEALLY, WE SHOULD LIKE A FIRM ASSURANCE THAT THE COURT
WOULD NOT IMPOSE THE DEATH SENTENCE OR IF IT SHOULD THAT THE
SENTENCE WOULD NOT BE CARRIED OUT. IF THIS IS CONSTITUTIONALLY
IMPOSSIBLE WE WOULD HOPE THAT THE LIBERIANS WILL BE ABLE AT
LEAST TO GIVE AN UNDERTAKING THAT A
RECOMMENDATION AGAINST THE
IMPOSITION OR, AT WORST, THE EXECUTION OF THE DEATH SENTENCE
WILL BE MADE IN THE APPROPRIATE QUARTERS.
3. IN VIEW OF COMMENTS IN PARA 2 OF TUR ABOUT CASE OF TSUI
WE SHOULD ALSO LIKE ASSURANCE THAT ANY TRIAL WILL BE CONDUCTED
IN LANGUAGE THAT LAM UNDERSTANDS OR THAT HE WILL HAVE SERVICES OF
PROPERLY QUALIFIED TRANSLATOR. GRATEFUL ALSO YOU SEEK CONFIRMATION
THAT, IF SURRENDERED, LAM WILL BE FREE TO APPOINT A LAWYER OF HIS CHOICE TO BE PRESENT THROUGHOUT PROCEEDINGS.
A.
HONG KONG WILL WISH TO BEAR IN MIND, IN VIEW OF LAST PARA
OF TEL, THAT EVEN IF LAM DOES NOT APPLY FOR HABEAS CORPUS HE
CANNOT BE SURRENDERED UNTIL 15 DAYS AFTER ANY COMMITTAL ORDER
(SECTION 11 OF EXTRADITION ACT 1870 REFERS)
PYM
MINIMAL NTD HKG) WAD
1
CONFIDENTIAL
COPIES TO: MR HIN
E5 DIVISION,
HOME OFFICE.
fogy
note a
Bu 23 Rc
Mai L