TNAG-0495-FCO40-560-Deportation-of-foreign-nationals-from-Hong-Kong-1974 — Page 81

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3. I EXPLAINED THAT, ALTHOUGH HONG WAS A SOUTH VIETNAMESE SUBJECT IN SOUTH VIETNAM AND WE THEREFORE HAD NO LEGAL BASIS FOR MAKING REPRESENTATIONS, WE WERE NONETHELESS MUCH CONCERNED THAT EVENTS HAD TAKEN THIS TURN. THE HONG KONG

GOVERNMENT HAD RETURNED THE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS BECAUSE

OF ASSURANCES THAT THEY WOULD NOT BE HARSHLY TREATED. THE

SECRETARY GENERAL TOOK THE POINT AND UNDERTOOK TO FIND OUT FROM THE MINISTRY OF JUSTICE WHAT FATE WAS PROBABLE FOR HONG

IF HE WERE RETRIED. HE SUBSEQUENTLY PHONED BACK TO SAY THAT IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO ESTIMATE WHAT SENTENCE HONG MIGHT RECIEVE IF FOUND GUILTY AT THE RETRIAL. BUT THE CHANCE OF THE DEATH PENALTY WAS VIRTUALLY NIL. HE ALSO ASSURED ME THAT NONE OF THE REST OF THE GROUP WERE KNOWN TO BE IN PREVIOUS TROUBLE WITH THE AUTHORITIES.

WE SHALL MAINTAIN PRESSURE FOR INFORMATION ON THIS CASE

AND WILL KEEP YOU IN THE PICTURE.

BUSHELL

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