CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO ROUTINE HONG KONG
TELNO 1526
OF 13104OZ AUGUST 90
CONFIDENTIAL
TOP COPY Q DIST?
36
060007
MDLOAN 3543
Нік в 380/1
RECEIVED IN
15 AUG 1990
INFO ROUTINE UKREP JLG HONG KONG, PEKING
a
PERSONAL FOR ACTING GOVERNOR FROM MARSDEN HKD ·
YOUR TELNO 2314: CAPITAL PUNISHMENT
1.
WE WERE INTERESTED TO NOTE THAT ACCORDING TO A SURVEY CONDUCTED BY THE HONG KONG STANDARD, THE RESULTS OF WHICH WERE PUBLISHED ON 6 AUGUST, 17 LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLORS (60 PERCENT OF THOSE WHO RESPONDED TO THE SURVEY) FAVOUR THE ABOLITION OF THE DEATH PENALTY. ONE OF THE ARGUMENTS ADVANCED BY THE ABOLITIONISTS APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN THE DESIRABILITY OF REMOVING THE DEATH PENALTY FROM THE STATUTE BOOK BEFORE 1997, PARTICULARLY IN THE LIGHT OF THE EVENTS OF JUNE 1989.
2. WE WOULD BE INTERESTED IN YOUR COMMENTS ON THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS SURVEY, PARTICULARLY IN VIEW OF THE INDICATION IN PARA 6 OF TUR THAT PUBLIC OPINION MAY BE BEGINNING TO CHANGE ON THIS ISSUE. DOES THIS SURVEY MEAN THAT A CAMPAIGN FOR ABOLITION IS ALREADY BEGINNING TO GATHER MOMENTUM QUERY.
HURD
YYYY
MAIN
35
LIMITED
HKD
WIAD
UND
NNNN
DISTRIBUTION
35
LEGAL ADVISERS
MR MCLAREN
MR BURNS
MR BEAMISH