Capital punishment in Hong Kong
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2007-12-03T06:36:28Z
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'''[[Capital punishment]] in [[Hong Kong]]''' has been formally abolished in 1993.
Before that, capital punishment was the regular sentence since the establishment of the [[Hong Kong|Crown Colony of Hong Kong]] for offences such as [[murder]], [[kidnapping]] leading to death, and [[piracy]]. <ref>{{cite web
| url = http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/200603/02/P200603020089.htm
| title = Victoria Prison Decommissioning Open Day
| publisher = The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China
}}</ref> However, it had been suspended since the last execution on November 16, 1966. <ref>{{cite web
| url = http://www.correctionalservices.gov.hk/english/abt/abt_his/abt_his_1950.html
| title = A Chronology of CSD's Development and Penal Measures of Hong Kong
| publisher = Hong Kong Correctional Services
}}</ref> Since then, the Governor had automatically commuted the sentences of those so convicted under the death penalty to [[life imprisonment]] under the [[Royal Prerogative]] of mercy. <ref>{{cite web
| url = http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/pub/ascii/wfbcjhon.txt
| title = WORLD FACTBOOK OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEMS - HONG KONG by Ian Dobinson
| publisher = Bureau of Justice Statistics, U.S. Department of Justice
}}</ref> In April 1993, capital punishment was officially abolished in Hong Kong. <ref>{{cite web
| url = http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/200603/02/P200603020089.htm
| title = Victoria Prison Decommissioning Open Day
| publisher = The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China
}}</ref> Since then, life imprisonment becomes the most severe punishment in Hong Kong.
It is worth noting that, under the principle of [[one country, two systems|independence of legal system]] in [[Hong Kong Basic Law]], Hong Kong continues its repudiation of capital punishment after [[transfer of the sovereignty of Hong Kong|its handover]] to [[People's Republic of China]] <ref>{{cite web
| url = http://www.info.gov.hk/basic_law/fulltext/index.htm
| title = Basic Law in Full Text
| publisher = The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China
}}</ref> despite the fact that capital punishment [[Capital punishment in the People's Republic of China|is practised in China]].
{{Asia in topic|Capital punishment in}}
==See also==
* [[Human rights in Hong Kong]]
==References==
<references />
{{HongKong-stub}}
{{law-stub}}
[[Category:Hong Kong law]]