Pubdate: Mon, 28 Dec 2009
Source: Scotsman (UK)
Copyright: 2009 The Scotsman Publications Ltd
Contact: http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/contactus.aspx
Website: http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/406
Author: Joe Sinclair
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/heroin.htm (Heroin)

CHINA TO PRESS AHEAD WITH BRITON'S EXECUTION

THE Chinese embassy has responded to calls for clemency for the
British man set to be executed tomorrow morning. Akmal Shaikh, 53,
from north London, is due to be put to death at 10:30am after being
convicted of smuggling heroin.

His cousins Soohail and Nasir Shaikh, from London, were to arrive in
Urumqi in north-west China yesterday. They say their relative has a
bipolar condition which affected his behaviour.

However, a spokesman for the Chinese embassy in London said Mr Shaikh
was found with more than 4kg of heroin, which he said was enough to
kill 26,800 people. He said that, according to Chinese law, being
caught with 50g of heroin was enough for the death penalty to be applied.

The spokesman explained: "Even in the UK, he would be punished
severely for his crime. The general public (in China] has a
deep-seated hatred toward it (drug trafficking]."

A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: "We have made representations at
the highest possible levels. The Prime Minister wrote to the Chinese
government. We have made our position to the Chinese authorities quite
clear." 
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D