slimvictor
Bluelight Crew
Execution of Briton Akmal Shaikh: China defiant in the face of criticism
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wor...h-China-defiant-in-the-face-of-criticism.html
China has warned Britain it risks harming diplomatic relations between the two countries after Downing Street condemned the execution of Briton Akmal Shaikh for drug smuggling.
By David Eimer, in Beijing
Published: 8:51AM GMT 29 Dec 2009
Jiang Yu, a spokeswoman for the Chinese foreign ministry, told a press briefing in Beijing: "No one has the right to comment on China's judicial sovereignty.
"It is the common wish of people around the world to strike against the crime of drug trafficking.
Asked about comments from Gordon Brown, the British Prime Minister, who said he was "appalled" at the execution, Mrs Jiang replied: "We express our strong dissatisfaction and opposition to the British Government's unreasonable criticism of the case. We urge the British to correct their mistake in order to avoid harming China-UK relations."
The Chinese embassy in London said Shaikh, 53, from Kentish Town, north London, had "no previous medical record" of mental illness and that his rights and interests had been properly respected.
Shaikh, who was convicted of smuggling 4kg of heroin into the country, was executed in the early hours of this morning despite last minute pleas for clemency from his family and campaigners.
The statement continued: "During the legal process, Mr Shaikh's rights and interests were properly respected and guaranteed and the concerns of the British side were duly noted and taken into consideration by the Chinese judicial authorities.
"Out of humanitarian consideration, visas were granted to the two cousins of Mr Shaikh on Boxing Day, and they were given access to meeting Mr Shaikh in China.
The statement said Shaikh, who was arrested in September 2007 in Urumqi, north west China, was convicted of "serious" drug trafficking,
"The amount of heroin he brought into China was 4,030g, enough to cause 26,800 deaths, threatening numerous families," it said.
The statement concluded: "The legal structures of China and UK may be different, but it should not stand in the way of enhancing our bilateral relations on the basis of mutual respect."
In a statement issued by the British Foreign Office, Mr Brown said: “I condemn the execution of Akmal Shaikh in the strongest terms, and am appalled and disappointed that our persistent requests for clemency have not been granted,”
Shaikh's family insist that he suffered from bipolar disorder and that he had been tricked into carrying drugs by a criminal gang.
Mr Brown expressed his anger over the fact that the Chinese authorities had persistently refused to allow Mr Shaikh to be examined by psychologists.
“I am particularly concerned that no mental health assessment was undertaken,” Mr Brown said.
The execution of Mr Shaikh was apparently carried out by lethal injection, according to British diplomatic sources.
It is the first time an EU National has received the death penalty in China since 1951, and comes after two of Mr Shaikh's cousins flew to China to make a last-ditch appeal for clemency to China’s courts and President Hu Jintao.
In a statement issued by Reprieve, the legal charity, Mr Shaikh’s family talked of their sadness over China’s unwillingness to commute the 53-year-old father of five’s death sentence.
“The family express their grief at the Chinese decision to refuse mercy, thank all those who tried hard to bring about a different result, and ask the media and public to respect their privacy as they come to terms with what has happened to someone they loved,” the statement said.
Reprieve’s director Clive Stafford Smith attacked China’s handling of Mr Shaikh’s case. “Is the world somehow a better place today because China refused to show compassion for an obviously ill man? Of course not. China’s refusal to even allow a proper medical evaluation is simply disgusting,” Mr Stafford Smith said.
Shaikh had no previous criminal record and had flown to China in the belief that he would become a pop star.
On Monday, six witnesses who knew Mr Shaikh came forward to support his family’s contention that he was a manic depressive prone to delusional behaviour.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wor...h-China-defiant-in-the-face-of-criticism.html
China has warned Britain it risks harming diplomatic relations between the two countries after Downing Street condemned the execution of Briton Akmal Shaikh for drug smuggling.
By David Eimer, in Beijing
Published: 8:51AM GMT 29 Dec 2009
Jiang Yu, a spokeswoman for the Chinese foreign ministry, told a press briefing in Beijing: "No one has the right to comment on China's judicial sovereignty.
"It is the common wish of people around the world to strike against the crime of drug trafficking.
Asked about comments from Gordon Brown, the British Prime Minister, who said he was "appalled" at the execution, Mrs Jiang replied: "We express our strong dissatisfaction and opposition to the British Government's unreasonable criticism of the case. We urge the British to correct their mistake in order to avoid harming China-UK relations."
The Chinese embassy in London said Shaikh, 53, from Kentish Town, north London, had "no previous medical record" of mental illness and that his rights and interests had been properly respected.
Shaikh, who was convicted of smuggling 4kg of heroin into the country, was executed in the early hours of this morning despite last minute pleas for clemency from his family and campaigners.
The statement continued: "During the legal process, Mr Shaikh's rights and interests were properly respected and guaranteed and the concerns of the British side were duly noted and taken into consideration by the Chinese judicial authorities.
"Out of humanitarian consideration, visas were granted to the two cousins of Mr Shaikh on Boxing Day, and they were given access to meeting Mr Shaikh in China.
The statement said Shaikh, who was arrested in September 2007 in Urumqi, north west China, was convicted of "serious" drug trafficking,
"The amount of heroin he brought into China was 4,030g, enough to cause 26,800 deaths, threatening numerous families," it said.
The statement concluded: "The legal structures of China and UK may be different, but it should not stand in the way of enhancing our bilateral relations on the basis of mutual respect."
In a statement issued by the British Foreign Office, Mr Brown said: “I condemn the execution of Akmal Shaikh in the strongest terms, and am appalled and disappointed that our persistent requests for clemency have not been granted,”
Shaikh's family insist that he suffered from bipolar disorder and that he had been tricked into carrying drugs by a criminal gang.
Mr Brown expressed his anger over the fact that the Chinese authorities had persistently refused to allow Mr Shaikh to be examined by psychologists.
“I am particularly concerned that no mental health assessment was undertaken,” Mr Brown said.
The execution of Mr Shaikh was apparently carried out by lethal injection, according to British diplomatic sources.
It is the first time an EU National has received the death penalty in China since 1951, and comes after two of Mr Shaikh's cousins flew to China to make a last-ditch appeal for clemency to China’s courts and President Hu Jintao.
In a statement issued by Reprieve, the legal charity, Mr Shaikh’s family talked of their sadness over China’s unwillingness to commute the 53-year-old father of five’s death sentence.
“The family express their grief at the Chinese decision to refuse mercy, thank all those who tried hard to bring about a different result, and ask the media and public to respect their privacy as they come to terms with what has happened to someone they loved,” the statement said.
Reprieve’s director Clive Stafford Smith attacked China’s handling of Mr Shaikh’s case. “Is the world somehow a better place today because China refused to show compassion for an obviously ill man? Of course not. China’s refusal to even allow a proper medical evaluation is simply disgusting,” Mr Stafford Smith said.
Shaikh had no previous criminal record and had flown to China in the belief that he would become a pop star.
On Monday, six witnesses who knew Mr Shaikh came forward to support his family’s contention that he was a manic depressive prone to delusional behaviour.
That must be so awful for his family...![:\](https://bluelight.org/xf/BL_Images/Orig_Emoji/wrygrin.gif "wry grin :\")
