TNAG-2485-FCO40-3616-Capital-punishment-in-Hong-Kong-1992 — Page 64

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO DESKBY 040001Z HONG KONG

TELNO 393

OF 031405Z MARCH 92

して

CONFIDENTIAL

Mi 3 380/1

&

pa

13

135246

MDHOAN 0747

YOUR TELNOS 585 AND 653: ABOLITION OF CAPITAL PUNISHMENT

1. YOU ARE RIGHT (PARA 2 OF TUR 585) IN THINKING THAT THE CRIMES OF TREASON AND PIRACY WITH VIOLENCE WERE NOT ADDRESSED WHEN THE DEATH PENALTY FOR MURDER WAS ABOLISHED IN THE

UNITED KINGDOM. THE PURPOSE AT THE TIME WAS TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM OF MURDER, AND NOT TO COMPLICATE THIS ISSUE WITH CONSIDERATION OF THESE OTHER CRIMES, WHICH DID NOT POSE ANY IMMEDIATE PROBLEMS.

2. THE DEATH PENALTY FOR PIRACY IS SEEN AS AN ANACHRONISM IN THE UNITED KINGDOM CONTEXT. THIS IS THE REASON FOR THE FEELING REFERRED TO IN PARA 4 OF OUR TELNO 310 THAT IT SHOULD BE ABOLISHED. BUT IT IS ALSO, OF COURSE, WHY THERE IS NO SENSE OF URGENCY ABOUT ABOLISHING IT. BY THE SAME TOKEN THERE HAS BEEN NO SERIOUS CONSIDERATION GIVEN TO ANY ALTERNATIVE PENALTY.

3.

THE PRESENT INTENTION IS EVENTUALLY TO DEAL WITH THE CRIMES OF TREASON AND PIRACY WITH VIOLENCE TOGETHER, ONCE THE LAW COMMISSION HAS COMPLETED ITS CONSIDERATION OF THE WHOLE QUESTION OF TREASON.

4.

WE ARE SORRY TO HAVE MISSED YOUR PREVIOUS DEADLINE. HITCH IN TELEGRAM DISTRIBUTION THIS END WAS THE CAUSE.

HURD

YYYY

ΜΑΙΝ

15

HKD

PS/LORD CAITHNESS

PS/MR LENNOX BOYD

SIR J COLES

NNNN

DISTRIBUTION

15

MR BURNS

LEGAL ADVISERS//MISS BROOKS

LEGAL ADVISERS//MS BARRETT

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CONFIDENTIAL