Zambia Union of Journalists Petitions the Chinese over woman's death sentence

A Zambian woman, Mary Musiyalike has been convicted for drug trafficking in China, faces a death sentence. In Zambia the Zambia Union of Journalists (ZUJ) has petitioned the Chinese embassy in Lusaka asking the Chinese Government to commute Musiyalike's death sentence.

Musiyalike, 38, a business executive of Lusaka was arrested with 2.5 kilogrammes of heroin at Putong International Airport in Shanghai on December 14, 2008 and has recently been sentenced to death by firing squad after a court convicted of drug trafficking.

ZUJ president Morgan Chonya in a statement in Lusaka June 3 said Zambia and China had enjoyed very warm and cordial relations over the years.

“We appeal to the Republic of China Government to commute the death sentence of Mary Musiyalike. The two countries have long bonds of friendship that should count for something. We therefore call on our comrades to revisit the verdict,” Chonya said.

He said ZUJ was dismayed by the statement that the Zambian convict would be put to death through a firing squad at a date known by the prison authorities. He said the statement was traumatising to the victim’s family and the Zambians at large.

However, Chonya also said it was the responsibility of the Zambian Government to ensure that every Zambian abroad received fair trial and felt safe as well as protected whether they were convicts or not. He called upon the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to ensure that the victim was extradited and served her term here in Zambia.