Albania asks China to avoid the death penalty for an Albanian citizen

The Government of Albania has asked the judicial authorities in China on Tuesday to avoid the death penalty in the criminal case against an Albanian citizen accused of drug trafficking.

It is learned that the Prosecutor's Office in the city of Guangzhou, in the province of Guangdong, has requested the death penalty for the 36-year-old Albanian. No other details have been provided for this case.

The case of the 26-year-old was discussed on Tuesday in Tirana during the meeting that the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Igli Hasani held with the special envoy of the Chinese Government for European Affairs, Wu Hongbo.

"In the meeting, the high sensitivity of the Albanian Government and public opinion, the trial that is taking place in the People's Court of the Middle Level in the city of Guangzhou, in charge of the Albanian citizen", is stated in the announcement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Albania.

It is further emphasized that the respect of all the rights of the Albanian citizen was requested at all stages of the judicial process.

"The Albanian side asked the Chinese authorities to avoid the application of capital punishment," the announcement states.

This request was forwarded earlier to the Foreign Minister of the People's Republic of China, through an official letter. The Ministry emphasizes that it will continue to pursue this issue as a priority.

China, one of the countries with the highest number of executions in the world, often carries out executions by lethal injection for very serious crimes.

The legal system in China is controlled by the ruling Communist Party, and courts have an almost 100 percent conviction rate in criminal cases.

Like many countries in the region, China has strict anti-drug laws. Several foreign nationals have been sentenced to death for drug trafficking in recent years.

Source: cna.al, Staff, July 3, 2024

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