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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| 'Last hours' for death row Briton | 'Last hours' for death row Briton |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A British man found guilty of drug smuggling in China is facing what could be his final hours on death row. | A British man found guilty of drug smuggling in China is facing what could be his final hours on death row. |
| Akmal Shaikh, of London, has reportedly been told by his family that he faces death at 1030 (0230 GMT) on Tuesday. | Akmal Shaikh, of London, has reportedly been told by his family that he faces death at 1030 (0230 GMT) on Tuesday. |
| The 53-year-old denied all knowledge of 4kg of heroin found on him in the north-western city of Urumqi in 2007. | The 53-year-old denied all knowledge of 4kg of heroin found on him in the north-western city of Urumqi in 2007. |
| His family say he is mentally ill. His daughter Leilla Hornsell told the BBC: "I don't think he will be able to really understand what's happening." | His family say he is mentally ill. His daughter Leilla Hornsell told the BBC: "I don't think he will be able to really understand what's happening." |
| Prime Minister Gordon Brown has urged the Chinese government to show clemency towards Mr Shaikh, who is believed to suffer from bipolar disorder. | Prime Minister Gordon Brown has urged the Chinese government to show clemency towards Mr Shaikh, who is believed to suffer from bipolar disorder. |
| A Downing Street spokesman said Foreign Office minister Ivan Lewis had spoken to his Chinese counterpart on Monday, and promised that the government "will remain engaged in the coming hours". | |
| Mr Lewis has also been meeting the Chinese ambassador in London. | |
| 'Very upset' | 'Very upset' |
| Ms Horsnell has said her father was approached by drug smugglers in Poland who convinced him they would make him a popstar in China. | Ms Horsnell has said her father was approached by drug smugglers in Poland who convinced him they would make him a popstar in China. |
| I'd like to be hopeful, but time just seems to be running out Leilla HornsellDaughter Executions shrouded in secrecy | I'd like to be hopeful, but time just seems to be running out Leilla HornsellDaughter Executions shrouded in secrecy |
| She has spoken out about his mental health problems and his "erratic and extreme" behaviour. | She has spoken out about his mental health problems and his "erratic and extreme" behaviour. |
| "I'd like to be hopeful, but time just seems to be running out," she said. | "I'd like to be hopeful, but time just seems to be running out," she said. |
| "It's better for him to be in his own world rather than be faced with the reality of the situation." | "It's better for him to be in his own world rather than be faced with the reality of the situation." |
| Mr Shaikh's cousins, Soohail and Nasir Shaikh, informed him of his fate as they spent an hour and a half with him on Monday at the secure hospital in Urumqi where he is being held. | Mr Shaikh's cousins, Soohail and Nasir Shaikh, informed him of his fate as they spent an hour and a half with him on Monday at the secure hospital in Urumqi where he is being held. |
| Soohail Shaikh said his cousin was "very upset". | Soohail Shaikh said his cousin was "very upset". |
| Soohail Shaikh after visiting his cousin Akmal Shaikh in prison | Soohail Shaikh after visiting his cousin Akmal Shaikh in prison |
| He added: "His feelings and his conversation with us included some items which we strongly feel were still not rational and further go on to stress in our minds that he does need some medical assistance." | He added: "His feelings and his conversation with us included some items which we strongly feel were still not rational and further go on to stress in our minds that he does need some medical assistance." |
| Mr Shaikh has been detained in hospital since August, suffering from high blood pressure. | Mr Shaikh has been detained in hospital since August, suffering from high blood pressure. |
| Supporters have gathered outside the Chinese embassy in London and delivered a letter to the ambassador calling for a stay of execution. | Supporters have gathered outside the Chinese embassy in London and delivered a letter to the ambassador calling for a stay of execution. |
| It has been organised by a group formed on the social networking site Facebook called Stop The Execution of Akmal Shaikh. | It has been organised by a group formed on the social networking site Facebook called Stop The Execution of Akmal Shaikh. |
| Seema Khan, 54, from Chigwell, Essex, who was present at the vigil, said his cousin would "never knowingly have become involved" in drug smuggling. | Seema Khan, 54, from Chigwell, Essex, who was present at the vigil, said his cousin would "never knowingly have become involved" in drug smuggling. |
| Last minute | Last minute |
| Legal charity Reprieve has been working with Mr Shaikh and his family. | Legal charity Reprieve has been working with Mr Shaikh and his family. |
| The organisation said the Foreign Office had done a "huge amount" in the case and had made 10 approaches to the Chinese government in the past six months. | The organisation said the Foreign Office had done a "huge amount" in the case and had made 10 approaches to the Chinese government in the past six months. |
| Supporters of Akmal Shaikh have gathered outside the Chinese embassy | Supporters of Akmal Shaikh have gathered outside the Chinese embassy |
| The charity also released witness statements it said it had collected from people who knew Mr Shaikh while he was living homeless in Poland. | The charity also released witness statements it said it had collected from people who knew Mr Shaikh while he was living homeless in Poland. |
| Reprieve's witnesses all say Mr Shaikh had been clearly mentally ill when they knew him, and that he was fixated on recording a song that he believed would usher in world peace. | Reprieve's witnesses all say Mr Shaikh had been clearly mentally ill when they knew him, and that he was fixated on recording a song that he believed would usher in world peace. |
| Reprieve's director, Clive Stafford Smith, said: "While it must be torture for Akmal going through this, the last-minute nature of this evidence is an example of why there must always be last-minute clemency." | Reprieve's director, Clive Stafford Smith, said: "While it must be torture for Akmal going through this, the last-minute nature of this evidence is an example of why there must always be last-minute clemency." |
| The Chinese authorities said they would notify Mr Shaikh about his execution 24 hours beforehand, but it is not certain if they have done so - aside from having informed his family. | The Chinese authorities said they would notify Mr Shaikh about his execution 24 hours beforehand, but it is not certain if they have done so - aside from having informed his family. |
| His cousins also handed in a petition to the local court asking for a stay of execution and a mercy plea to Chinese President Hu Jintao. | His cousins also handed in a petition to the local court asking for a stay of execution and a mercy plea to Chinese President Hu Jintao. |
| They were the first family members to have face-to-face contact in two years. | They were the first family members to have face-to-face contact in two years. |
| 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 |
| Mr Shaikh's family and the UK government have been calling for clemency but Mr Shaikh's final appeal was turned down last week. | Mr Shaikh's family and the UK government have been calling for clemency but Mr Shaikh's final appeal was turned down last week. |
| He is set to become the first EU national to be executed in China in 50 years. The last Briton executed abroad was John "Jackie" Elliott, 42, who died by lethal injection in Huntsville, Texas, in February 2003 having been convicted of rape and murder. | He is set to become the first EU national to be executed in China in 50 years. The last Briton executed abroad was John "Jackie" Elliott, 42, who died by lethal injection in Huntsville, Texas, in February 2003 having been convicted of rape and murder. |
| His family and his defence team have said Mr Shaikh suffers from bipolar disorder and did not know what he was doing. | His family and his defence team have said Mr Shaikh suffers from bipolar disorder and did not know what he was doing. |
| They say he was duped by a criminal gang into carrying a suitcase that did not belong to him. | They say he was duped by a criminal gang into carrying a suitcase that did not belong to him. |
| 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. | 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. |
| "Drug trafficking is a grave crime worldwide," he said. "The general public has a deep-seated hatred toward it." | "Drug trafficking is a grave crime worldwide," he said. "The general public has a deep-seated hatred toward it." |