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CALL BY AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL ON THE SECRETARY OF STATE
22 MAY 1991
ABOLITION OF THE DEATH PENALTY: HONG KONG
Points to make (defensive)
In Hong Kong, (since November 1966, the Governor has commuted every death sentence to a term of imprisonment This arrangement is widely accepted and understood in Hong Kong even though public opinion is still strongly in favour of retaining the death penalty.
Legislation recently introduced to abolish capítal punishment in the Caribbean dependent territories
Caribbean dependent territories applies to territories which will, for the foreseeable future, remain under the British Crown. Not the case of Hong Kong.
Would be wrong to insist that Hong Kong should be required to follow the United Kingdom lead in such a sensitive area when we are seeking to build up the territory's autonomy in the run-up to 1997.
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YA
Formal abolition in Hong Kong now would not prevent the
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post-1997 government there from reintroducing the death penalty if it so chose.
DEAT
Ho
GUYAEB/1.
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