TNAG-0931-FCO40-1149-Capital-punishment-in-the-Dependent-Territories-1980 — Page 151

CONFIDENTIAL

CAPITAL PUNISHMENT IN THE DEPENDENT TERRITORIES

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1 Following the abolition of capital punishment in the United

Kingdom in 1969 the Governments of all Dependent Territories still

retaining the penalty were invited to introduce similar legislation.

The following 7 Territories have, however, kept the penalty on the

statute books (the year of the last execution in each case is given

in brackets):

Belize

(1974)

Bermuda

(1977)

British Virgin Islands

(1972)

Cayman Islands

(1928)

Hong Kong

(1966)

(1960)

(1946)

Montserrat

Turks and Caicos!

In the case of Bermuda, capital punishment is retained only for

cases where premeditation has been proved.

2.

The administration of justice in the Dependent Territories is

a matter for local governments. Abolition by legislation in the

United Kingdom would arouse strong opposition in the territories

concerned.

3. On 13 February 1980 the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary

agreed that there should be no change in the system for dealing

with capital punishment in the Dependent Territories.

This,

the 'Creech Jones' doctrine, delegates to Governors the exercise

of the Crown's prerogative of mercy, without precluding the

possibility of appeals to the Secretary of State or to The Queen.

It is accepted policy, in dealing with such appeals, to advise

/that