A Taiwan court has sentenced a people-smuggler to death and jailed another for life for the drowning of six mainland Chinese women.
The two were among four Taiwanese convicted of trying to smuggle 26 Chinese women into the island on two speedboats late in August, an official of the Miaoli District Court said.
The smugglers threw the women overboard when chased by Taiwan coastguards, causing six to drown in an incident that has triggered public outrage and strained relations with China.
Two other people smugglers received lighter sentences of between two and three years in prison, the official said.
Death sentences in Taiwan automatically go in appeal to the high court and, if the verdict is upheld, then to the supreme court. It was not immediately clear if the other defendants would appeal.
Smuggling of people and goods across the narrow Taiwan Strait is rampant, but animosity between Taiwan and China, rivals since they split in 1949, has prevented a joint solution.
Chinese police detained 13 human traffickers, including four Taiwanese, over the drownings in September.
Taiwan has executed five people this year. Death penalties are usually carried out by firing squad.