TNAG-1923-FCO40-2728-Capital-punishment-in-Hong-Kong-1989 — Page 11

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DSR 11 evised Sept 85)

DRAFT: minute/letter/teleletter/despatch/note

FROM:

TYPE: Draft/Final 1 +

Reference

MP4 ABW

SECRETARY OF STATE

DEPARTMENT:

TEL. NO:

Your Reference

BUILDING:

ROOM NO:

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION

TO:

Copies to:

Top Secret

Secret

Rt Hon Merlyn Rees PC MP

House of Commons

Confidential

Restricted

Unclassified

PRIVACY MARKING

LONDON

SUBIECTAA

CAVEAT

Thank you

In Confidence

for your letter of 3 November, and its

accompanying enclosures about capital punishment in the

Dependent Territories.

Enclosures flag(s)

HMG's policy on capital punishment in the Dependent

Territories stems from and is guided by, the Creech-Jones

doctrine, which was formulated in 1947. The doctrine

laid down that it was the Governor's sole responsibility

to exercise the Prerogative of Mercy and that the

Secretary

of State should advise The Queen to extend

clemency for convicted murderers only in the case of

a miscarriage of justice. Ministers reviewed the issue

in 1973. They concluded in principle that, in those

Dependent Territories which retained the death penalty

sentence :

-

In view of the strength of local feeling in favour of

retention of the death penalty no attempt should be made

to abolish capital punishment for murder through primary

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