China Should Revoke Death Sentence For Canadian Who Was Tried Twice - Rights Group

WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 16th January, 2019) China's death sentence for Canadian citizen Robert Schellenberg on drug charges needs to be overturned because drug-related offenses do not meet the requirements for capital punishment under international law, Amnesty International said in a press release on Tuesday.

"The [Chinese] authorities continue to execute a significant number of individuals for drug related and other offenses which do not meet the 'most serious crimes' threshold to which the use of the death penalty must be restricted under international law," the release said. "States are under an obligation to review their criminal laws to ensure that the death penalty is not imposed for drug-related offenses."

Amnesty International explained that Schellenberg was sentenced to 15 years in prison for drug smuggling, charges he denies, at his original trial in November 2018, and received a death sentence at a second trial by the same court in December, when prosecutors introduced new evidence.

"The sudden re-trial and apparent rush to judgment has highlighted the numerous flaws in China's judicial system," the release said. "We hope that Robert Schellenberg and his defense counsel are given adequate time to prepare and respond to the prosecution's new evidence when the case is finally brought up for appeal."

Amnesty International opposes the death penalty in all cases and has campaigned for the abolition of capital punishment for more than 40 years.