§ Mr. Hooleyasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many political prisoners are currently held by the Smith régime in Zimbabwe under sentence of death.
§ Mr. EnnalsWe have seen Press reports which suggest that 13 persons are currently under sentence of death in Rhodesia for alleged terrorist offences. As the illegal régime have announced that
once death sentence has been passed and an appeal failed it should be assumed that the execution has taken place",some of these men may already have been executed.
§ Mr. Hooleyasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many political prisoners have been executed by the Smith régime in Zimbabwe during the past five years.
§ Mr. EnnalsComprehensive information about the crimes for which individuals have been hanged by the illegal régime is not available. According to Press reports, 52 prisoners have been executed in the last five years, but this figure includes common law criminals as well as alleged terrorists.
§ Mr. Hooleyasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many executions by hanging have been carried out by the illegal Smith régime in Zimbabwe since November 1965.
§ Mr. EnnalsAs far as we are aware, 60 people were executed in Rhodesia between November 1965 and April 1975. Since 21st April 1975 the illegal régime have published no announcements of executions. It is not possible, therefore, to say with certainty whether any executions have been carried out since then.
§ Mr. Hooleyasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will advise Her Majesty to reprieve all persons currently under sentence of death in Zimbabwe.
§ Mr. EnnalsI do not consider that this would achieve the desired result. The 385W illegal régime ignored the exercise of the Royal Prerogative of Mercy in 1968, even though they then still claimed to recognise the Queen as Sovereign.