§ MR. F. S. STEVENSON (Suffolk, Eye)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is able to communicate to the House a telegraphic summary of Mr. Newton's Report relating to the Angora trials?
§ MR. LABOUCHERE (Northampton)I will also ask whether it is not a fact that before the sentences imposed in these trials can be executed the matter must come before the Court of Cassation, and that that will occupy a period of at least several weeks?
§ SIR E. GREYThe Vice Consul's full Report has not vet been received; but we have heard the following particulars from him:—The trial began on the 20th of May. The Court consisted of the President, two other Turks, one Armenian Catholic, and one Greek. The prisoners were defended by seven lawyers. The trial was public, and each of the prisoners was examined separately in the presence of the others, excepting in the case of Mr. Thoumaïan, when Mr. Kayayan was ordered out of Court. We are anxiously waiting to know on what evidence the sentences were founded, and till we have heard this I would earnestly deprecate any public discussion. It is a general provision of Turkish law that such sentences must come before the Court of Cassation, and I can give the hon. Member an assurance that we have definite and authoritative information as regards this particular case that this course must be followed, 1674 that the sentences will be subjected to close examination and carefully reviewed by the Court of Cassation; and that there is no question of carrying them out at present.
§ SIR R. TEMPLE (Surrey, Kingston)I beg to state that in the circumstances it will not be necessary for me to move the Adjournment of the House, as I had intended doing. I may, however, have to do so on a future occasion.