China Executes French Citizen Convicted of Drug Trafficking

In a significant and controversial event, China has executed 62-year-old Chang Tao Fumi, a French citizen who was sentenced for drug trafficking. This information was confirmed by the international news agency Reuters, alongside reports from Ukrinform, which became public knowledge on Sunday. The execution has triggered a strong reaction in France, where the Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its outrage and condemnation of the actions taken by the Chinese authorities.

The Chinese Embassy in France released a brief statement confirming the execution of the sentence. In response to this event, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that Chang was executed despite the efforts of the French government, which sought a pardon on humanitarian grounds. This has raised deep concerns among human rights defenders and the international community.

The French side also pointed out that Chang's defenders were not allowed to be present at the final court hearing, which the Ministry of Foreign Affairs considers a serious violation of human rights. The French Ministry underscored that this decision contradicts international standards for a fair trial.

Chang Tao Fumi, born in Laos, obtained French citizenship and became one of 89 suspects arrested in 2005 on charges of drug trafficking. In 2007, he was sentenced to life imprisonment, but in 2010, his punishment was changed to death due to his involvement in a drug business estimated at 100 million yuan, equivalent to approximately 15 million US dollars. Specifically, this involved the production and sale of large quantities of methamphetamine within China.

China is known for its stringent laws regarding drug trafficking, being one of the few countries that imposes the death penalty for such crimes. The threshold for a death sentence is set at 50 grams of heroin or methamphetamine; however, in practice, individuals are sentenced to death for significantly larger amounts of drugs. It is important to note that China does not publish statistics on the execution of death sentences, complicating the assessment of the scale of this issue.

Earlier this year, in February, China also carried out death sentences for four members of a family syndicate operating in northern Myanmar. They were convicted in November on charges of intentional murder, telecommunications fraud, and drug trafficking, indicating the continuation of China's strict policy in combating drug-related crime.

This event has sparked widespread resonance on social media and among human rights organizations, which are calling for a review of approaches to punishment for drug crimes. They argue that the death penalty is an unacceptable form of punishment and advocate for its abolition, emphasizing the need to uphold human rights in all countries.

France, as a country that actively advocates for human rights, continues to negotiate with China to improve conditions for its citizens abroad and seeks greater transparency in judicial processes concerning foreigners.

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