China sentences to death Russian for heroin smuggling

A Chinese court has sentenced a Russian national to death for an attempt to smuggle 2 kilograms of heroin into the country, the head of the Russian Consulate in China, Leonid Ignatenko, said. The 33-year-old Russian, whose name has not been released, was detained in the airport of the city of Urumqi in May 2010. Under Chinese law, the convicted man may see his sentence commuted to life if he demonstrates good behavior in jail. The death sentence is due to be carried out in two years. Russian diplomats are in contact with the man and the Chinese Justice Ministry. Five Japanese nationals were executed on drug smuggling charges in April 2010 and a U.K. national was executed in 2009.