China weaponizing courts against Westerners

The death penalty is not uncommon in China. Authorities continue to execute thousands of people each year, more than all other nations combined. However, for Australian Karm Gilespie, convicted for drug-smuggling earlier in June, what is unusual is that his is a “politically sensitive” case and his time spent in detention – between arrest and sentence – has already been a lengthy 6.5 years. Most legal cases in Chinese courts are relatively uncontroversial. However, in cases considered “political” or “politically sensitive”, the Communist Party has weaponized the legal system and judiciary to wage political warfare against those deemed a threat to the state. Gilespie’s case has certainly...