Five arms and ammunition smugglers had death sentences suspended and commuted on Tuesday.

The Higher People's Court of Tibet Autonomous Region gave one Nepalese, named Ananda, and one Tibetan, Qubzhag, death penalties with two-year reprieves and confiscated all of their personal property.

Another Nepalese, named Gyaljen, and two other Tibetans, Celo and Lobsang Qoizhag, had death penalties commuted to life terms. All Gyaljen's personal property was also confiscated.

The court heard that Qubzhag sold 270 rounds of rifle bullets to Ananda in April 2003 and bought a submachine gun modeled on the "August 1" type in northwest Xining, capital of northwestern China's Qinghai Province. He also purchased another 2,000 rounds of bullets in southwestern Sichuan Province with the help of Lobsang Qoizhag in the June-October period of the same year. Qubzhag and Celo shipped the submachine gun and bullets to Zhangmu County in Tibet and sold them to Ananda and Gyaljen who smuggled them out of China.

In October 2000, Qubzhag bought eight submachine guns, six pistols and 70 rounds of bullets, which were forwarded to Qubzhag and Lobsang Qoizhag at Zhangmu County in Tibet and subsequently sold to Ananda and Gyaljen. When those hired by Ananda sneaked the arms and ammunition out of China at his order, they were captured by Chinese public security officers.

The Xigaze Intermediate People's Court gave capital punishment to Qubzhag, Celo, Ananda, Gyaljen and Lobsang Qoizhag in the first instance trial held on August 27.

The High Court held that Ananda and Gyaljen had violated the law by illegally purchasing weaponry and ammunition in Chinese territory and smuggling them out of China. As they were principal culprits and the case was grave, they deserved severe penalties.

The court, nevertheless, gave both Ananda and Gyaljen suspended sentences in view of the fact that Ananda had confessed all his crimes and Gyaljen was an accomplice and repented.

The regional court promptly informed the consulate general of Nepal in Lhasa, capital of Tibet.

(Xinhua News Agency January 5, 2005)