TNAG-0488-FCO40-553-Review-of-death-sentence-in-Hong-Kong-1974 — Page 98

CONFIDENTIAL

香港總督

II

SCR 7/3231/56

RECEIVED

Des Andrews,

REGISTRY No.52

30 AUG 1974

TADDIY

GOVERNMENT HOUSE

HONG KONG

113

19th August 1974

LABT

REF.

NEXT

REF.

See draft reply Res 27/8

Death

Penalty

I ought to tell you

to tell you of an exchange

which took place in Executive Council last month, because it is indicative of the continuing sensitivity of Unofficial Members about the death penalty in Hong Kong.

2.

On

On the 23rd July, Executive Council considered the case of a man called LEUNG Wong. the advice of members, the Acting Governor commuted the sentence of death to 20 years imprisonment.

3.

Before the discussion of the case, Sir Y.K. Kan drew attention to the written answer given by the Minister of State on 10th July.

4.

You will recall that Mr. Roy Hattersley gave the following answer to a question by Mr. Hal Miller

5.

"My Right Honourable Friend has discussed this question with the Governor. The Governor told him that opinion in Hong Kong strongly favours the use of the death penalty in extreme cases. The Governor in turn is aware of the climate of Parliamentary opinion in the UK. The prerogative of mercy is delegated to the Governor to be considered in each case as it arises.

11

Sir Y.K. commented that he considered the last sentence of this answer to be misleading, and that the reality of the situation had been clearly expressed by the Secretary of State to the Governor and recorded in the minutes of the Executive Council meeting held on the 9th July 1974.

6.

The relevant extract from the Executive Council minutes of the meeting of the 9th July

A.C. Stuart Esq.,

CONFIDENTIAL

Hong Kong & Indian Ocean Dept., FCO.