 Akmal Shaikh was arrested in 2007 |
A British man convicted of drug smuggling in China has been executed, the Foreign Office has confirmed.
Akmal Shaikh, 53, a father-of-three, of London, had denied any wrongdoing and his family said he was mentally ill.
The execution took place despite repeated calls from his family and the British government for clemency. Prime Minister Gordon Brown said he was "appalled and disappointed". But the Chinese Embassy said Mr Shaikh had no previous record of mental illness.
Mr Shaikh's family made continued calls for leniency right up until the execution deadline, citing his mental state, saying that he suffered from bipolar disorder. His daughter Leilla Horsnell said: "I am shocked and disappointed that the execution went ahead with no regards to my dad's mental health problems, and I struggle to understand how this is justice."
Brothers Soohail and Nasir Shaikh, who travelled to China to visit their cousin in prison and make a last-minute plea for clemency, said they were "deeply saddened, stunned and disappointed". Source: BBC News: Tuesday, 29 December 2009
