9. The main general policy issue outstanding in the Dependent
Territories is capital punishment.
This problem achieved
prominence in 1977 when the executions in Bermuda led to riots
in the Territory and to a storm of protest in the United Kingdom
from groups and individuals who questioned whether Dependent Terri-
tories should be allowed to retain capital punishment when it had
been abolished in the United Kingdom; and gave rise to tricky local difficulties in 1978 when the Governors of British Virgin Islands
and Montserrat commuted death sentences.
Hong Kong and General Department
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
26 April 1979
Page 75Page 76
Paper No: 55
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