TNAG-0082-FCO40-118-Proposals-to-extend-the-death-penalty-1967 — Page 53

NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN

Dd.033009 Gp.863

CONFIDENTIAL

3

because

on

a

number of occasions

publicly We have carligated Rhodesia as a

state and referred

in very

critical terms to ader Го славных селані

djectionable features it's legislation.

१

4.

For our part, we have taken a look at the

Rhodesian legislation There is no emergency

particular

legislation on this subject which is governed by an

ordinance in the substantive law enacted in 1963.

This provides the mandatory death penalty for

offences of causing or attempting to cause.

(

se by use of

petrol, explosives, etc.) injury, death or damage to:-

(a) persons;

(b) residential property;

(c) other property and vehicles in which there

were in fact persons present at the time

of the offence (even though the accused

did not know it).

The penalty for possession is twenty years. We feel

that Ministers may not be able to ignore the fact that

they are being asked to sanction a penalty that is

more severe than the Rhodesian law provides, in view

of the propaganda advantage this would give the Smith

effective

regime. It is doubtful whether any great play could

bym

be made of the points that the Hong Kong penalty was an

emergency provision of temporary application or that

circumstances in Hong Kong and Rhodesia were very

different.