It is groundless to say Lai Changxing will be sentenced to death after repatriation: official

A senior CPC official said here Tuesday that the allegation Lai Changxing will be sentenced to death and subjected to abuse after repatriation is groundless.

Gan Yisheng, vice secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the Communist Party of China (CPC) said at a press conference that "China is a big and responsible country who honors its words."

Gan raised an example, saying that since Lai's case was uncovered, more than 30 criminal suspects involved in the case have turned themselves in to the judicial organs, most them coming back from abroad. The judicial organs live up to their words to handle their cases with leniency by applying to laws and regulations.

Lai fled to Canada in 1999 after being accused of running a huge smuggling ring. He is wanted by the International Criminal Police Organization. Recently, Canada's federal court held a hearing on the risks evaluation of Lai's repatriation.

Local media said Lai's lawyer suspected on two points -- one is that the promise made by China's judicial organ did not explicitly said Lai won't be sentenced to death with reprieve, which might end up execution. Another is that Lai might be subjected to abuse after repatriation.

Gan said according to China's Criminal Law, there are two types of death sentence -- death sentence with immediate execution and death sentence with reprieve.

China has promised not to sentence Lai Changxing to death. It means he won't be given death penalty with immediate execution nor death penalty with reprieve, said Gan.

As for if Lai Changxing will be subjected to torture or not after repatriation, Gan said China joined the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment on Oct. 4, 1988, and has promised to prohibit the use of torture.

China incorporates "the state respects and safeguards human rights of citizens" into the Constitution in 2004. It definitely includes the protection of the lawful rights and interests of criminal suspects.

China's judicial departments have strictly adhered to the international convention and the country's Constitution, and banned the use of torture during investigation.

"I hereby assure you that the lawful rights of all the relative criminal suspects involved in the Lai Changxing's case have been protected, and their dignity respected," Gan said.

More than 100 people involved in the Lai Changxing's case have been sentenced to life in prison and fixed-term imprisonment, most of them receiving penalty reduction, Gan said, adding that all the 19 people who were sentenced to life imprisonment have received sentence reduction, and 10 of them have received sentence reduction twice.

Gan said Lai has stayed in Canada for over seven years. He did not get what he want, nor will he get in future. He did not want to lose anything but has lost a lot, and in future will lose even more.

There is an old Chinese saying: the ocean of suffering is endless, but when you look back, you will see the bank. "We advise Lai Changxing, do not stubbornly stick to the wrong course. The sensible choice is to make up your mind as soon as possible, come back and give yourself up," said Gan.

Source: Xinhua