ASA 17/009/2012

CHINA

A Hong Kong man, Robert Shan Shiao-may, and a Taiwanese man, Lien Sung-ching, were executed in mainland China on 30 March after the Supreme People’s Court in Beijing approved their death sentences.

Robert Shan Shiao-may, aged 54, was sentenced to death on 26 June 2009 for drug-trafficking, illegal possession of drugs, and illegal possession of a firearm. Lien Sung-ching, aged 59, was sentenced to death at the same trial on charges of producing and trafficking drugs. The Guangdong Provincial Higher People’s Court in Zhuhai, Guangdong province rejected their appeals in December 2010. In December 2005, Hong Kong police officers, tipped off by the mainland authorities, had detained two containers at a shipping terminal that supposedly contained drugs and were bound for Manila. However, a senior inspector in Hong Kong's narcotics bureau later wrote to relatives of Lien Sung-ching saying that no drugs had been found and that the containers had been sent back to the company that owned them.

Guangdong public security agents had arrested both men in December 2005 and accused them of sending 192 kg of crystal methamphetamine to the Philippines from the mainland via Hong Kong. During the appeal, the Guangdong Provincial People’s Court rejected the letter because it did not have an official police stamp and because Hong Kong police later said the letter had been written in error. The police force apologized to family members of the defendants. However, the letter raises serious doubts as to the evidence used to convict the men of drug trafficking.

Lien Sung-ching was able to meet with his family before the execution. However, his family said that they had not been allowed to visit him during his detention. The authorities informed Lien Sun-ching’s lawyer of the Supreme People’s Court decision. However, they did not inform the lawyer or the family of the date of execution.

No further appeals are requested. Many thanks to all who sent appeals.

This is the first update of UA 197/11. Further information: http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/ASA17/028/2011/en

Name: Robert Shan Shiao-may and Lien Sung-ching

Gender m/f: Both male