GUANGZHOU, China — Albanian citizen Klaudio Kanani, originally from Tepelena, has escaped a potential death sentence in China after the Guangdong Provincial Court of Appeal rejected the prosecution's request for capital punishment and upheld his 25-year prison sentence.
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“Don't worry, I'm fine and healthy. I miss you. I'm fine here, but obviously it's prison,” Kanani said, according to the footage reported by Top Channel.
Kanani also appealed to the Albanian authorities to help secure his transfer to Albania so that he can serve the remainder of his sentence there.
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According to a spokesperson for the Guangdong court who spoke to Top Channel journalist Muhamed Veliu, a judge recently communicated the appellate decision to Kanani at the detention center in Guangzhou.
The court rejected the prosecution's request for capital punishment and left in force the decision issued by the court of first instance in June 2025, under which Kanani was sentenced to 25 years in prison after being found guilty of trafficking approximately one ton of drugs originating from Hong Kong, according to the court's account cited by Top Channel.
The ruling means that Kanani will not face the death penalty under the decision currently in force.
Two co-defendants sentenced to death
The case also involved several Chinese defendants.
According to reports citing the court's decision, two Chinese co-defendants were sentenced to death by hanging, while two others received death sentences involving execution by firing squad.
The different sentences underline the seriousness of the drug-trafficking case in which Kanani was prosecuted.
Albanian diplomatic efforts
Kanani's case had already attracted significant attention in Albania after the prosecution in China sought the death penalty.
Top Channel reported in June 2025 that the Albanian government had undertaken diplomatic efforts concerning the case during the preceding year. According to that reporting, then-Foreign Minister Igli Hasani held several meetings with China's ambassador to Albania, while then-Justice Minister Ulsi Manja and Albania's ambassador to China, Riza Poda, were also involved.
In June 2025, the first-instance court in Guangzhou rejected the prosecution's request for the death penalty and instead sentenced Kanani to 25 years in prison. That decision was subsequently challenged by the prosecution, leading to the latest appellate proceedings.
Top Channel previously described the Albanian diplomatic engagement as instrumental in the case. However, the precise legal reasoning behind the Chinese court's sentence should be distinguished from diplomatic efforts reported by Albanian media.
Kanani's family seeks transfer to Albania
Following the appellate decision, Kanani's family has expressed gratitude for the assistance provided by Albanian authorities and is now asking the government to take further steps toward transferring him to Albania.
The family is calling on Foreign Minister Ferit Hoxha and Justice Minister Toni Gogu to pursue procedures under the reported reciprocity arrangements between Albania and China that could potentially allow Kanani to serve his sentence in Albania.
Such a transfer would not be automatic simply because the appeal has concluded. It would require the relevant authorities in both countries to follow the applicable legal and diplomatic procedures.
A long-running case now enters a new phase
Kanani's case began attracting public attention in Albania after Chinese prosecutors sought the death penalty in connection with the alleged trafficking of approximately one ton of drugs.
The June 2025 first-instance ruling reduced the sentence to 25 years, and the October 2026 appellate decision has now left that sentence in place.
For Kanani, the immediate consequence is that the death penalty is no longer the sentence imposed by the appellate ruling. His focus has now shifted to whether the Albanian authorities can secure his transfer from China to Albania to serve the remainder of his prison sentence.
The case remains an important test of Albania's ability to provide consular and diplomatic assistance to one of its citizens facing a serious criminal conviction abroad, while any potential transfer remains subject to the laws and decisions of both countries.