
Top Channel has exclusively provided a video showing for the first time Claudio Kanani, who escaped capital punishment in China.
"Don't worry, I'm fine and healthy. I missed you. I'm fine here but normal like in prison. Don't worry about anything because I don't have any problems, I'm fine," says the young man originally from Tepelena.
He hopes and appeals to the Albanian state to enable the transfer of the person serving his sentence to a prison in our country.
The Court of Appeal in Guangdong province in China has rejected the prosecution's request to punish Claudio with the death penalty, after he was accused in the communist state of drug trafficking.
A spokesperson for this court confirmed to Top Channel journalist Muhamed Veliu that a few days ago, at the detention center in Guangzhou, a judge communicated the appeal decision to Claudio Kanani.
"The appeal has rejected the prosecution's request for capital punishment and the June 2025 decision of the first instance has been upheld, sentencing him to 25 years in prison after he was found guilty of trafficking 1 ton of drugs originating from Hong Kong," the spokesperson for this court stated.
The court sentenced two Chinese citizens co-accused with Albanian Claudio Kanani to execution by hanging, while two others were sentenced to public execution by firing squad.
As Top Channel exclusively reported on this case last year, Klaudio Kanani escaped capital punishment after numerous diplomatic efforts by the then Minister of Foreign Affairs, Igli Hasani, who held several meetings with the Chinese ambassador in Tirana on this issue.
Like the involvement of the then Minister of Justice Ulsi Manja and our ambassador to China, Riza Poda.
Contacted by Top Channel, Klaudio Kanani's family expressed gratitude for what has been done so far by the Albanian state for their son.
They are demanding a final effort from Ministers Ferit Hoxha and Toni Gogu to move forward, based on the reciprocity agreement with China, by initiating proceedings to transfer Klaudio Kanani from China, who has served his sentence in Albania now that the Court of Appeal has issued its decision.