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China execution looms for Briton Relatives visit death row Briton
(30 minutes later)
A British man, said by his family to be mentally ill, could be executed in China in the next 24 hours. The family of a British man awaiting execution in China for drug smuggling have visited him and handed in a last-minute petition for clemency.
Last week, Chinese authorities set Akmal Shaikh's execution date for 29 December, despite pleas for mercy from his relatives and the UK government. Akmal Shaikh's cousins gave him messages from the rest of the family. He is in a secure hospital and due to be executed in the next 24 hours.
Mr Shaikh, 53, from north London, was arrested for drug smuggling in 2007. The 53-year-old's relatives and defence team have said he is mentally ill and did not know what he was doing.
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 has said she feared "time was running out".
Two of Mr Shaikh's cousins, Soohail and Nasir Shaikh, spent an hour and a half with him on Monday and gave him messages. Mr Shaikh, from London, has denied all knowledge of the 4kg of heroin found in his possession in the remote north-western city of Urumqi in 2007.
They also handed in a petition calling for a stay of execution. His execution date has been set for 29 December, despite pleas for mercy from his relatives and the UK government.
Mr Shaikh is being held in the Chinese region of Xinjiang. In a death penalty case, you never give up hope Sally RowenReprieve
His daughter Leilla Horsnell told the BBC her father was not aware he could be shot within hours, but this was a "good thing" because his mental state was so fragile.
Mr Shaikh's cousins, Soohail and Nasir Shaikh, spent an hour and a half with him on Monday at the hospital in Urumqi.
'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". Legal charity Reprieve has been working with Mr Shaikh and the organisation said a stay of execution was still possible.
He will only be told 24 hours before it is due to happen, something his daughter Leilla Horsnell agreed with. Sally Rowen, legal director of Reprieve's death penalty team, said: "In a death penalty case, you never give up hope. You always keep going to the very last minute.
"China does have a history of granting reprieves right at the last minute. So there's no reason to think that may not happen here."
According to 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 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 injectionsCHINA 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.
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.