TNAG-0486-FCO40-551-Review-of-death-sentence-in-Hong-Kong-1974 — Page 129

FCO40 Hong Kong Department Records 聯邦事務部香港部檔案 All

CONFIDENTIAL

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6.

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7

11

X

However we have now reached the case of Liu Chu (records

attached) where neither we nor the Home Office can find any good

grounds for a reprieve. (My letter to Prior of 7 January, FCO

telegram no. 33 of 11 January and Prior's reply of 17 January.)

7. I have now sent the Home Office comments to Hong Kong and

have asked that the questions in Mr Prior's third paragraph about

the prisoner's mental state and circumstances should be urgently

examined. If, as seems likely, the reply to these last points

reveals no mitigating circumstances, we will have to submit the

case and its implications to the Secretary of State. My

recommendation would then be that the crunch case had arrived and

that FCO Ministers should decide on political grounds whether to

advise their colleagues to support the Governor's decision or to

change the law. A DOPC paper would then be required.

8.

The Governor has asked for an FCO Ministerial view by

5 February. Whether we can give this will depend on whether he

is able to answer the Home Office's residual questions in time.

9.

I recommend that we should take no decision er further

aetion until these answers are received.

25 January 1974

осбыт

A C Stuart

Hong Kong & Indian Ocean Dept.

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that this

case is such that

It would be difficult to regard at as other than

a

"1

"worst case :" and that as much it will invalue

decision of the hund set out at x/-

CONFIDENTIAL

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