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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| China execution looms for Briton | China execution looms for Briton |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A British man, said by his family to be mentally ill, could be executed in China in the next 24 hours. | A British man, said by his family to be mentally ill, could be executed in China in the next 24 hours. |
| Last week, Chinese authorities set Akmal Shaikh's execution date for 29 December, despite pleas for mercy from his relatives and the UK government. | Last week, Chinese authorities set Akmal Shaikh's execution date for 29 December, despite pleas for mercy from his relatives and the UK government. |
| Mr Shaikh, 53, from north London, was arrested for drug smuggling in 2007. | Mr Shaikh, 53, from north London, was arrested for drug smuggling in 2007. |
| His daughter told the BBC he was not aware he could be shot within hours, but this was a "good thing" because his mental state was so fragile. | His daughter told the BBC he was not aware he could be shot within hours, but this was a "good thing" because his mental state was so fragile. |
| Two of Mr Shaik's cousins, Soohail and Nasir Shaikh, have travelled to the Chinese region of Xinjiang where he is being held, and hope to meet him on Monday. | |
| The two men also plan to lodge papers seeking a legal review of his case and to deliver personal pleas for clemency to China's President Hu Jintao. | The two men also plan to lodge papers seeking a legal review of his case and to deliver personal pleas for clemency to China's President Hu Jintao. |
| 'Couldn't speak properly' | 'Couldn't speak properly' |
| According to legal charity Reprieve, Chinese authorities have said knowledge of his execution is being withheld from the Briton on "humanitarian grounds". | According to legal charity Reprieve, Chinese authorities have said knowledge of his execution is being withheld from the Briton on "humanitarian grounds". |
| He will only be told 24 hours before it is due to happen, something his daughter Leilla Horsnell agreed with. | He will only be told 24 hours before it is due to happen, something his daughter Leilla Horsnell agreed with. |
| "I think it's a good thing because I don't even think he would understand because we don't know how much his mental state has deteriorated," she told BBC Radio 5 live. | "I think it's a good thing because I don't even think he would understand because we don't know how much his mental state has deteriorated," she told BBC Radio 5 live. |
| "We do know in one of the appeals he insisted on giving his own statements and he couldn't even speak properly, and what he was saying wasn't making much sense. | "We do know in one of the appeals he insisted on giving his own statements and he couldn't even speak properly, and what he was saying wasn't making much sense. |
| "And so I don't think him being told would mean anything or would... if anything, it might make it worse if he was aware of what was happening." | "And so I don't think him being told would mean anything or would... if anything, it might make it worse if he was aware of what was happening." |
| Ms Horsnell said she hoped the authorities would listen to the family's final pleas, but admitted she was not optimistic "because they haven't looked at the evidence previously". | Ms Horsnell said she hoped the authorities would listen to the family's final pleas, but admitted she was not optimistic "because they haven't looked at the evidence previously". |
| "I'd like to be hopeful, but time just seems to be running out," she added. | "I'd like to be hopeful, but time just seems to be running out," she added. |
| CHINA DEATH PENALTY China executed 1,718 people in 2008, according to Amnesty InternationalLast year 72% of the world's total executions took place in China, the charity estimatesIt applies to 60 offences, including non-violent crimes such as tax fraud and embezzlementThose sentenced to death are usually shot, but some provinces are introducing lethal injections | CHINA DEATH PENALTY China executed 1,718 people in 2008, according to Amnesty InternationalLast year 72% of the world's total executions took place in China, the charity estimatesIt applies to 60 offences, including non-violent crimes such as tax fraud and embezzlementThose sentenced to death are usually shot, but some provinces are introducing lethal injections |
| The BBC's Quentin Sommerville in Beijing said the situation was getting "very desperate" for the Briton because the Chinese authorities did not have a reputation for leniency. | The BBC's Quentin Sommerville in Beijing said the situation was getting "very desperate" for the Briton because the Chinese authorities did not have a reputation for leniency. |
| Mr Shaikh has denied all knowledge of the 4kg of heroin found in his possession in the city of Urumqi in 2007. | Mr Shaikh has denied all knowledge of the 4kg of heroin found in his possession in the city of Urumqi in 2007. |
| His family say he has bipolar disorder and was duped by a criminal gang into unwittingly carrying drugs for them. | His family say he has bipolar disorder and was duped by a criminal gang into unwittingly carrying drugs for them. |
| If the death sentence is carried out, it would be the first time an EU national has been executed in China for 50 years. | If the death sentence is carried out, it would be the first time an EU national has been executed in China for 50 years. |