China upholds death sentences for killings on Mekong River

The Yunnan Provincial Higher People's Court upheld sentencespassed last month against the four men and two others who receivedlighter sentences, state media said.

At the appeal hearing last week, Nor Kham was quoted as saying he"neither plotted nor ordered the murder" of the sailors in October2011 and only heard about the attack later.

During his trial, Nor Kham accused Thai soldiers of soleresponsibility for the attack, which Chinese prosecutors said wascarried out by his gang in collusion with renegade soldiers.

But he later pleaded guilty to the charges, before changing hisplea again at the appeal hearing, according to state media reports.

Wednesday's rejection of the appeals would allow the court toexecute the four men once their death sentences arre ratified byChina's Supreme People's Court.

Nor Kham and five accomplices were convicted of murder, drugtrafficking, kidnapping and hijacking.

The three accomplices sentenced to death were a Thai citizen, aLao citizen and one stateless person, according to earlier reports.

Two other members of Nor Kham's gang, both Myanmar citizens, weregiven a suspended death sentence and eight years in prison fortheir involvement.