TNAG-1128-FCO40-1404-Capital-punishment-in-the-Dependent-Territories-1982 — Page 6

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MOTION FOR THE WHITSUN ADJOURNMENT

CAPITAL PUNISHMENT IN THE DEPENDENT TERRITORIES

BACKGROUND NOTE

1.

Creech-Jones doctrine, known after the Colonial

Secretary who set the policy out in statement in December 1947.

Capital punishment' is retained as the penalty for murder in the

following seven British Dependent Territories (the year of the

last execution in each territory is given in brackets):

Anguilla (1924)

Bermuda (1977)

British Virgin Islands (1972)

Cayman Islands (1928)

.Hong Kong (1966)

Montserrat (1960)

Turks and Caicos Islands (1946)

2.

Difference in treatment of Hong Kong and other

territories recently received some attention in Hong Kong

press but no pressure for change. Reversion to allowing law

to take its course in Hong Kong would, in Governor's view,

cause serious difficulties. Different treatment could be

justified on the political grounds that Hong Kong does not

have an elected legislature.