TNAG-0486-FCO40-551-Review-of-death-sentence-in-Hong-Kong-1974 — Page 82

Mr Youde

Youde

Sir D Watson-

CONFIDENTIAL

P.A. 42%

36

19

26

A & B

£130

DEATH PENALTY LIU CHU

1. In our telegrams no 106 and 135 and related correspondence

we asked the Governor to consider certain possible mitigating

factors, some put forward by the Home Office and others by

Mr Blaker, which might conceivably enable him to find grounds

for commuting the death sentence on Liu Chu. In his telegram

no 223 the Governor considers these points, and sets out his

reasons for thinking that they do not provide any realistic

grounds for commutation. The department's legal adviser has

commented in his minute of 19 February. In brief, he sees no

reason to dissent from the Governor's conclusions.

We are

however sending copies to the Home Office, just in case they

take any different view.

2. In his telegram no 224, the Governor suggests that we now

consider the following points:-

(A) Does the Judge's recommendation that the law should

take its course stand up under a scrutiny as

sympathetic to the prisoner as reason and the law

permit?

(B) If so

(i) Would the Secretary of State support a decision

to execute Liu?

(ii) If not, and if informal sounding has shown that

the Council is likely to advise that the law

should take its course, would he be prepared

CONFIDENTIAL

/to abolish