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TERRITORY REVERTS TO CHINA. UNDER THE PRESENT LAW, ANY TRANSFER OUT OF HONG KONG REQUIRES THE CONSENT OF THE PRISONER HIMSELF AND THAT OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT BEFORE IT CAN BE IMPLEMENTED. ACCORDINGLY, UNDER HONG KONG'S PRESENT LEGISLATION, OSMAN COULD NOT BE TRANSFERRED TO MAINLAND CHINA WITHOUT HIS OWN CONSENT. 6. FINALLY, ON THE QUESTION OF THE TRANSFER OF LORRAIN OSMAN FROM PENTONVILLE TO BRIXTON, THERE IS NOT A GREAT DEAL WHICH I CAN SAY. AS YOU ACKNOWLEDGED IN YOUR LETTER, THERE ARE LIMITS TO THE DEGREE TO WHICH I AS PRIME MINISTER CAN INTERVENE IN THE
PROCESS OF THE LAW. I UNDERSTAND THAT MR OSMAN WAS TRANSFERRED
TO BRIXTON FOR OPERATIONAL REASONS. HE SHOULD NOT FEAR FOR HIS
SAFETY THERE. BRIXTON IS USED FOR THE DETENTION OF PEOPLE WHO ARE ON TRIAL IN THE CROWN COURT SYSTEM AND ALTHOUGH A LITTLE
FURTHER FROM HIS HOME THAN PENTONVILLE, IT IS STILL CLOSE TO CENTRAL LONDON. IN THE UNITED KINGDOM, PEOPLE DETAINED IN THE COURSE OF EXTRADITION PROCEEDINGS ARE TREATED AS IF THEY WERE UNCONVICTED PRISONERS. MR OSMAN HAS ENJOYED NOT ONLY ALL THE PRIVILEGES AFFORDED TO SUCH PRISONERS, BUT HAS IN THE EVENT BEEN
ALLOWED A GOOD MANY MORE. IF NEVERTHELESS HE HAS ANY REASON FOR CONCERN ABOUT HIS TREATMENT, I HOPE HE WILL NOT FEEL CONSTRAINED FROM USING THE ESTABLISHED PROCEDURES FOR MAKING HIS OWN
REPRESENTATIONS DIRECTLY TO THE PRISON AUTHORITIES. I ALSO HOPE
THAT THE QUESTION OF HIS EXTRADITION WILL SOON BE RESOLVED SO
THAT IT WILL NOT LONGER BE NECESSARY TO DETAIN HIM HERE.
HURD
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