TNAG-0812-FCO40-1017-Allegations-of-bribery-and-corruption-in-Hong-Kong-1978 — Page 142

GR 610

PRIORITY

CONFIDENTIAL

CYPHER CAT A

21 HONG KONG #91815Z

CONFIDENTIAL

TO PRIORITY F C O TELNO 586 OF 9 MAY 1978..

FOR STEWART HKGD.

HKK 380/2

42

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY MO. 51

1 1 MAY 1973

DESK OFNCOR

INDEX

No

PA

Action Tran

"In as

YOU WILL WISH TO KNOW THAT TODAY'S NEWSPAPERS CARRY REPORTS OF A PRESS CONFERENCE GIVEN YESTERDAY BY MRS ELLIOTT (ACCOMPANIED BY SANGUINETTI - A LOCAL BARRISTER) AT WHICH SHE IS REPORTED AS ATTACKING THE POLICE FOR FRAMING DEFENDANTS, CERTAIN MAGISTRATES (UNNAMED) FOR THE WAY IN WHICH THEY CONDUCT CRIMINAL CASES, AND THE LEGAL PROFESSION AS A WHOLE. SHE ALSO CRITICISES THE POLICE COMPLAINTS OFFICE AND QUESTIONS THE USEFULNESS OF THE UMELCO

COMPLAINTS AGAINST THE POLICE GROUP.

2. THE NEWSPAPER REPORTS SAY THAT A ''REPORT'' PREPARED BY

MRS ELLIOTT AND MR SANGUINETTI HAS BEEN SENT TO ME. I HAVE NOT

RECEIVED A''REPORT'' AS SUCH THOUGH I HAVE RECEIVED A LENGTHY

LETTER FROM MRS ELLIOTT RAISING THESE MATTERS. A COPY OF THE

LETTER AND COMMENTS WILL FOLLOW.

3. THE BACKGROUND IS THIS. EARLIER THIS YEAR, THERE WAS A HUNGER

STRIKE BY INMATES OF MA PO PING PRISON. MRS ELLIOTT SUBSEQUENTLY

MADE ALLEGATIONS OF MALTREATMENT OF PRISONERS. THE COMMISSIONER

OF PRISONS INVITED HER TO VISIT ANY PRISON SHE WISHED AND SHE

HAS SINCE VISITED A CONSIDERABLE NUMBER OF PENAL INSTITUTIONS.

SHE NOW SAYS THAT THE GENERAL PICTURE IN PRISONS IS GOOD AND SHE MISFIRED ON THIS ISSUE. TYPICALLY, SHE HAS SWITCHED HER GROUND FROM AN ISSUE HAVING NO BASIS TO ONE WHICH HAS AN ELEMENT OF TRUTH SHE SAYS THAT DURING HER VISITS TO THESE INSTITUTIONS SHE RECEIVED NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS AGAINST THE POLICE FROM INMATES. THIS

PLAINLY LED TO THE GENERAL ATTACK WHICH SHE HAS LAUNCHED.

4. THERE IS SOME TRUTH IN HER ALLEGATION THAT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN

FRAMED. IT IS A MATTER WHICH HAS CAUSED US GREAT CONCERN FOR A WHILE NOW. CAREFUL ENQUIRIES ARE MADE WHENEVER SPECIFIC CASES ARE BROUGHT TO OUR NOTICE BUT SUCH CASES ARE INEVITABLY DIFFICULT AND THE QUESTION IS NOT OFTEN RESOLVED SATISFACTORILY.

CONFIDENTIAL

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