DBORIMU
لاق
RECORD OF A MELTING BETWEEN THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH SECRETARÝ AND THE GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG HELD AT THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE ON THURSDAY 4 DECEMBER AT 9.45 A.M.
Present
The Rt Hon James Callaghan MP
Sir Murray MacLehose KOMU KOVO
MBE
Nr PL O'Keeffe OVO
Mr T McNally
Mr R 'N Dales
Capital Punishment 5. Sir Murray MacLehose said that on his return to Hong Kong ản January he would have to report that he had made representation: bo the Secretary of State in favour of the retention of capital punish- ment. Mr Callaghan said that, in his judgment, Parliamentary opinion was still strongly anti-death penalty although there had been gome reaction in favour of hanging terrorists following the McWhirter murder. He personally remained opposed to reintroducing the douth penalty for terrorists because of the danger of making martyrs of blom. Bir Murray MacLehose said that there was a general realisation in Hong Kong that political murders wore a special category. Hong Kong opinion, however, remained strongly in favour of capital punishment; for murders committed in the course of robbery. The incidence of robbery had increased 60 times over the past 10 years.
Nonetheless,
he thought his decision to impose imprisonment for life for convicted murderers might well hold the situation for the present.
Hong Kong & Indian Ocean Dept.
5 December 1975
!
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.