Pubdate: Fri, 25 Jun 1999 Source: Associated Press Copyright: 1999 Associated Press Author: The Associated Press CHINA EXECUTES AT LEAST 71 IN A DAY BEIJING - Firing squads put at least 71 people to death for drug trafficking Friday in China's annual barrage of executions to mark U.N. anti-drug day, state media reported. In all, at least 98 people have been executed or sentenced to death nationwide in recent days ahead of Saturday's International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, according to state media reports. The U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights opposes the death penalty and has called for an end to executions worldwide. Twenty-eight traffickers were executed Friday in the southern provincial capital of Guangzhou, near Hong Kong, after their sentences were announced at public rallies attended by nearly 7,000 people, the state-run Xinhua News Agency said. They included Qu Yongcai, who manufactured 2,085 pounds of the amphetamine ``ice.'' Four others, Chen Shoubo, Dai Tianshi, Chen Guangtong and Chen Mingfa, were executed for selling 14 pounds of heroin, Xinhua said. It did not name the others who were executed or give details on their cases. Courts in northern Shaanxi province also executed 12 people Friday for selling and transporting drugs, Xinhua said. Another 14 traffickers were executed in southeastern Fujian province, Xinhua reported. Shanghai, meanwhile, put to death nine traffickers and destroyed about 660 pounds of drugs seized last year, the most drugs the eastern port city has destroyed at once, Xinhua said. Eight people also were executed by gunshot Friday for selling, transporting or manufacturing drugs in southern Hunan province, Xinhua said. - --- MAP posted-by: Derek Rea