XN000022-1991-04-03 — Page 3

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 1991

DEATH PENALTY POLICY EXPLAINED TO UN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE

RIGHTS IN RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS FROM THE UNITED NATIONS HUMAN COMMITTEE, THE SOLICITOR GENERAL, MR FRANK STOCK, SAID ON TUESDAY THAT EVEN THOUGH NO ONE HAS BEEN EXECUTED IN HONG KONG SINCE NOVEMBER 1966, PENALTY OR THERE WERE NO IMMEDIATE PROSPECTS OF ABOLISHING THE DEATH CHANGING THE POLICY OF COMMUTING DEATH SENTENCES.

UN COMMITTEE, DURING THE SECOND OF A THREE-DAY HEARING BY THE

BY WHILE THERE HAVE BEEN CALLS

LEGISLATORS AND SOME MR STOCK SAID

LOCAL SECTIONS OF THE MEDIA TO CARRY OUT THE DEATH PENALTY BECAUSE OF CONCERNS OVER THE HIGH LEVEL OF CRIMES, THERE HAVE ALSO BEEN CALLS FOR ABOLISHING THE PENALTY IN CAPITAL CRIMES.

19

DEPENDENT

REPLYING TO QUESTIONS BY MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE, WHICH REVIEWING THE HUMAN RIGHTS RECORD OF THE UNITED KINGDOM AND TERRITORIES, MR STOCK NOTED THAT SURVEYS HAVE SHOWN THAT A MAJORITY OF

ADULT POPULATION [S KONG'S

OF RETAINING CAPITAL IN FAVOR PUNISHMENT AS A DETERRENT AGAINST SERIOUS CRIMES.

HONG

ADDRESSING CONCERNS RAISED BY THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE OVER EXTENDED AFTER THE POSSIBILITY THE RANGE OF CAPITAL CRIMES MIGHT BE

DEGREE 1997, MR STOCK SAID THE JOINT DECLARATION PROVIDED FOR A HIGH

FOR

AND THAT HONG KONG'S LEGISLATURE, OF AUTONOMY

PENAL POLICY,

KONG SPECIAL INCLUDING THE DEATH PENALTY, WAS A MATTER FOR THE HONG ADMINISTRATIVE REGION ITSELF.

THE HONG

MR STOCK, NEVERTHELESS, SAID HE WOULD BRING BACK TO KONG ADMINISTRATION THE COMMITTEE'S STRONG CONCERNS OVER THIS ISSUE.

HK OFFICIALS TO VISIT CHINA

* * *

A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN TODAY

(WEDNESDAY)

ANNOUNCED THAT

THE

SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS,

ΜΗ PETER TSAO, WILL VISIT PEKING AND THE HONG KONG AND SHANGHAI FROM APRIL 7 TO 17 AT THE INVITATION OF MACAU AFFAIRS OFFICE OF THE STATE COUNCIL OF CHINA.

MR TSAO WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY SIX OTHER GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS.