TNAG-0602-FCO40-750-Capital-punishment-in-Dependent-Territories-1977 — Page 16

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RECEIVED IN *** **Y NOT - 9 DEC 1977

DESK OFFyl

INDEX

REGISTRY Action Taken

Yes

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296

HKGD

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

London SW1A 2AH

- 9 DEC 1977.

W241

Thank you for your letter of 16 November about the case

of Sylvester Gaston in the British Virgin Islands.

You will by now have seen my statement in the House on

5 December about the situation in Bermuda on which I set out the

policy towards capital punishment in the Dependent Territories.

As you know, it has been the policy of successive British

Governments to extend an increasing degree of self-government to

our remaining Dependent Territories. Many of them now have considerable control over their own affairs, except defence,

security and external relations. In 1965 when the death penalty

was suspended in this country we invited those Territories where it

was still retained to follow our example but a number of them,

including the British Virgin Islands, declined to do so. The suggestion was repeated in 1970 with the same result.

In answering questions after my statement on Monday, I made

it clear that the Government are willing to look at the whole

question of capital punishment in the Dependent Overseas Territories

and in particular to ask those Dependent Territories where there is

still capital punishment to review the legislative position in the

light of our practice in this country.

The Lord Kennet

/As regards