China sentences six Russian citizens for drug smuggling.

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BEIJING, July 7 (Itar-Tass) —— Another Russian citizen has been sentenced to death in China with a two-year delay in execution for an attempt to smuggle drugs, head of the consumer section of the Russian Embassy in Beijing, Leonid Ignatenko, told Itar-Tass on Thursday, July 7.

The man tried to import in China from a Central Asian country in May of the previous year 2.8 kilograms of heroin and was caught red-handed at the Urumqui airport. In November, the court in Urumqui found him guilty, and now the sentence was confirmed by China’s upper level court.

Thus the total number of Russians sentenced in China for drug related crimes has reached six. Earlier, four Russians were detained and sentenced in the Yunnan Province in different times. Later on, all of them were moved to a prison in North-Eastern China, which is located at the territory bordering Russia. Another man had 1.9 kilograms of heroin as he was arrested. He remains in Beijing’s prison.

According to Chinese legislation, a death penalty with delayed execution may be changed for life or long-term imprisonment should the sentenced realises deeply the guilt and behaves perfectly. In China, a suspect having 50 or more grams of strong drugs may be sentenced to death.

Staff of Russia’s consular section had a meeting with the sentenced, Ignatenko said. Another meeting is due before he is sent to prison.

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