TNAG-0401-FCO40-447-Review-of-the-death-sentence-in-Hong-Kong-1973 — Page 62

56.

116

Flag

538

Flag

108

Flag &

wilford

Mr Wilford

Watson

Sir D Watson

PS Mr BoyleMG

Private Secretary

CONFIDENTIAL

The Manger

Agreed Tick 14/16

А.К

R

DEATH SENTENCES, HONG KONG: CHAN KAM-WAH

117

Searcher, of State

Tel. Is voon

then PIA

visue

え

7/6

1. The Governor has told us (Hong Kong telegram No 598) that

Chan's case is due to be considered by the Hong Kong Executive

Council on 12 June.

2.

We already have many of the papers of this case. The

Legal Advisers have written a preliminary comment on it. The

Attorney General, Hong Kong has a copy of this comment and I

have given a copy to the Governor

3. The Attorney General's own comment to me was he thought

it most unlikely that Executive Council would not recommend a

reprieve, and the Governor said that there was no question but

that a reprieve would be granted. He has confirmed this in

his telegram No 574 (paragraph 4). There is therefore no need

for us to consider the merits of the case further.

4.

Nevertheless, in view of the complications of the Tsoi

case, I think it would be as well to send a reply to say that

we have noted when the case will be considered. It is conceivable

that there might be public comment in Hong Kong or trouble with

Executive Council. (Sir Y K Kan, the most vocal critic of

The Queen's decision in the Tsoi case, will be back in Hong Kong

in time to take part in the discussion on Chan.) But the facts

of this case are such (especially the fact that Chan did not

/himself

CONFIDENTIAL