Foreign and Commonwealth Office
London S.W.1
4 May, 1973
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Tsoi Kwok-Cheong
Thank you for your letter of 30 April about
the death sentence passed in Hong Kong on Mr. Tsoi.
As you know, the death penalty still exists under Hong Kong law. Mr. Tsoi was convicted of murder in the course of a gang robbery and his appeal was dismissed by the Full Court of Hong Kong. The Royal Prerogative of Mercy is delegated to the Governor under the constitution and, after taking the advice of his Executive Council and considering all the facts of this case, he decided that the law must take its course.
You will appreciate that, unless there has been
an obvious miscarriage of justice, it would be most unusual for the authorities in this country to intervene in a matter where the effective exercise of legislative and prerogative powers lies in Hong Kong. Nevertheless Mr. Tsoi has now petitioned The Queen for the exercise of Her Residual Prerogative of Mercy, and I shall be forwardin- the petition to Her Majesty after due consideration of tho facts in the case, including the open letter to which you
Ivor Richard, Esq., QC., MP.,
/refer
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