TNAG-0931-FCO40-1149-Capital-punishment-in-the-Dependent-Territories-1980 — Page 192

DSR 11 (Revised)

SUBMISSION

DRAFT:

FROM:

CONFIDENTIAL

minuteMetter/leleletter/despatch/note

R D CLIFT

DEPARTMENT:

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION

TO:

Mr Stratton

Top Secret

Secret

Confidential

Restricted

Unclassified

PRIVACY MARKING

HKGD

TEL. NO:

TYPE: Draft/Final 1+

Reference

Your Reference

Copies to:

WIAD

Mr. Duff WERD Mr. Payne MCD

SUBJECT:

CAPITAL PUNISHMENT IN THE DEPENDENT TERRITORIES

CAVEAT......

or

.In Confidence

suspension

Enclosures-flag(s)...........

Problem

1. To decide what policy to adopt towards the continued

existence of capital punishment in certain British

dependent overseas territories.

Recommendation

Jon

2. I recommend that Ministers should be asked to say

whether they wish to maintain the longstanding policy

of not intervening in capital cases in those dependent

the

overseas territories where elected local government have have decided to retain capital punishment; or whether

they would prefer to take steps to secure the abolition

of capital punishment in all British dependent overseas

territories.

Background

3. The detailed background is set out in the attached memorandum. In Summary, the position is that Successive

British Governments have followed a policy of allowing

dolonial governments to decide for themselves whether

to retain capital punishment and of leaving it to

Governors to decide when the prerogative of mercy should

There has, however, been growing pressure

be exercised.

CONFIDENTIAL

/for

56-ST Dd 0532078 12/78 H+P Ltd Bly