China Executes British Citizen

Britain confirmed that China on Tuesday executed a British man convicted of drug smuggling.Â The alleged drug smuggler had a history of mental illiness, and Britain pleaded for clemency based on his mental illness, but China could not be persuaded, adn exectued the man on

Prime Minister of Britain said, "I ... am appalled and disappointed that our persistent requests for clemency have not been granted.Â Â He went on to say,Â "I am particularly concerned that no mental health assessment was undertaken."

According to CNN, "Akmal Shaikh was convicted of carrying up to 4 kilograms (8.8 pounds) of heroin at the Urumqi Airport in September 2007. China says he received due process under its laws, and he exhausted his appeals last week. The 53-year-old is the first European executed in China in 50 years, according to the British legal group Reprieve."

Comments: 6

Linda M. Dec 29, 2009, 2:12am UTC

Glad to hear there is one place that the mentally ill sham won't fly.

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Dorothy H. Dec 29, 2009, 8:37am UTC

I am personally against the death penalty, but trying to smuggle drugs through countries with the death penalty for such, is plum stupid.

Marilyn M. Dec 29, 2009, 9:17am UTC

So maybe he did have a mental problem. No one in their right mind would try that.

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Spirit of 1966 Dec 30, 2009, 7:24pm UTC

I'm generally against the death penalty except for cases of high treason, I guess there is a libertarian side of me who asks, "is it right for a government to take the lives of people with the exception of war, treason or defense?" I wonder what they did to the guy, shoot him or execute him in a mobile lethal injection van? The latter just creeps me out where a society actually does that.

I think he was stupid to do what he did though.

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Ishbel R. Jan 5, 2010, 8:10am UTC

He was mentally ill. He was persuaded that if he took a package into China, he would be helped to make a pop record about little bunny-wunnies.

The British Govt did not ask that he be found not guilty, just repatriated as a mentally ill patient to be treated in the UK.

Spirit of 1966 Jan 7, 2010, 9:16pm UTC

Since that seems to be the case, I would have to agree with you.

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China Executes British Citizen

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