The British government has confirmed that China executed Akmal Shaikh, a British citizen, for drug smuggling. The man was considered by his family and the government to be mentally unstable but China ignored a request from Gordon Brown, British prime minister, to treat him with clemency. Official Chinese news agency Xinhua says the country’s Supreme Court reviewed and approved the death sentence, saying that the family had not provided documents showing he was mentally unstable, nor did the family have a history of mental illness. “ “There is no reason to cast doubt on Akmal Shaikh’s mental status,” the court determined. China’s criminal law mandates the death penalty for anyone carrying more than 50 grams of heroin and Shaikh was caught carrying more than 4 kg of the drug.

Links to other sites: CNN, Times, UK, Xinhua

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