China Executes French Citizen After 15 Years on Death Row

A French national, Chan Thao Phoumy, aged 62, has been executed in Guangzhou, China, concluding a prolonged period on death row exceeding 15 years. French authorities had made appeals for clemency. Chan, originally born in Guangzhou but later naturalized as a French citizen, was apprehended in 2005 among 89 individuals suspected of drug trafficking. He received a life sentence in 2007.

In 2010, a court in his native city sentenced him to death for his participation in a significant drug operation. This operation, valued at 100 million yuan (£11m), involved the production, transport, and distribution of crystal methamphetamine within China. China's legal threshold for the death penalty in such cases is as low as 50g of heroin or methamphetamine.

The French foreign ministry conveyed its "consternation" and regret that Chan's defense team did not have access to the final court hearing. They emphasized this as a violation of his rights and extended condolences to his family. China's embassy in Paris stated that all defendants, regardless of nationality, are treated equally and cases are handled impartially and legally.

France, having abolished capital punishment in 1981, actively campaigns against its global use. China, however, continues to utilize executions, primarily by firing squad or lethal injection, though figures remain undisclosed. Amnesty International estimates China to be the world's leading executioner, with thousands of people sentenced and executed annually. Separately, in December, China executed a former senior banker for bribery, highlighting ongoing anti-corruption measures.