The case of Tracy Housel, the murderer who faces the death penalty in the US state of Georgia on March 12, has been making headlines in Bermuda and around the world. Housel, who was convicted of raping and murdering a woman, which carries the death penalty in the state of Georgia, has virtually exhausted his appeals.

Because he was born in Bermuda, he is a British Overseas Territories Citizen, and for this reason, the British Government has appealed on his behalf to the state to use clemency. The British Government, which abolished the death penalty more than 30 years ago, takes the view that it should oppose the death penalty wherever and whenever it has been applied to a British subject. Britain has also asked Bermuda to make an appeal, given Mr. Housel's links to the Island.

This has not yet occurred, although Bermuda abolished the death penalty in 1999 and has not exercised it since 1977. It is true that Mr. Housel, while born in Bermuda and therefore a BOTC, is not a status Bermudian under the Island's Immigration laws. But matters of principle should not stop at a country's borders and Bermuda has taken a position on principle that it is opposed to capital punishment.

It is therefore incumbent on Bermuda to act on behalf of people with connections to the Island, no matter how tenuous. It may be that members of both political parties are concerned about the political ramifications of publicly opposing Mr. Housel's execution, and it is conceivable that there would be political problems as a result.

But the facts are that Bermuda has not executed anyone since 1977 and by a vote of the House of Assembly, abolished capital punishment. The representatives of the people spoke, and showed political courage in doing so then. They should show the same courage now.

As a constitutional matter, an appeal to Georgia is tricky. Bermuda, as a dependent territory, cannot formally speak government to government. But it can issue a statement of principle opposing the execution of Mr. Housel and should do so. It is reasonable easy to take a stand on a matter of principle when you are confident that those around you are going to support you. The true test on a matter of principle comes when taking a stand is likely to be unpopular or will not be supported by others.