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| Final pleas for death row Briton | Final pleas for death row Briton |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| The government has made a final appeal to China to halt the execution of a British man convicted of drug smuggling who is thought to be mentally ill. | The government has made a final appeal to China to halt the execution of a British man convicted of drug smuggling who is thought to be mentally ill. |
| Foreign Office minister Ivan Lewis said the execution would be "entirely inappropriate" after last-ditch talks with the Chinese ambassador in London. | Foreign Office minister Ivan Lewis said the execution would be "entirely inappropriate" after last-ditch talks with the Chinese ambassador in London. |
| 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. |
| He denied the charges that led to him being found guilty of drug smuggling. | He denied the charges that led to him being found guilty of drug smuggling. |
| The minister said: "The clock is ticking and a man's life is at stake as we speak. We hope that the relationship we have with China will count for something in the end. | The minister said: "The clock is ticking and a man's life is at stake as we speak. We hope that the relationship we have with China will count for something in the end. |
| "It's entirely inappropriate that he be put to death, we've made 27 representations over the last two yearsÂ… and even at this late stage I hope they will see that in a modern world it is not appropriate to put a man with mental illness to death. | "It's entirely inappropriate that he be put to death, we've made 27 representations over the last two yearsÂ… and even at this late stage I hope they will see that in a modern world it is not appropriate to put a man with mental illness to death. |
| "It cannot be right that there has not been any medical assessment done of Mr Shaikh's mental condition. In any judicial system that simply cannot be acceptable." | |
| Mr Lewis added: "I believe this meeting tonight was the final opportunity for us to make the strength of our feeling known to the Chinese. I believe we have done everything we possibly can." | Mr Lewis added: "I believe this meeting tonight was the final opportunity for us to make the strength of our feeling known to the Chinese. I believe we have done everything we possibly can." |
| Mr Shaikh, 53, denied all knowledge of 4kg of heroin found on him in the north-western city of Urumqi in 2007. | Mr Shaikh, 53, 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." |
| Ms Horsnell has said her father was approached by drug smugglers in Poland who convinced him they would make him a pop star in China. | Ms Horsnell has said her father was approached by drug smugglers in Poland who convinced him they would make him a pop star in China. |
| She and her family say her father was duped by a criminal gang into carrying a suitcase that did not belong to him. | She and her family say her father was duped by a criminal gang into carrying a suitcase that did not belong to him. |
| The last-minute nature of this evidence is an example of why there must always be last-minute clemency Clive Stafford SmithDirector, Reprieve Executions shrouded in secrecy | The last-minute nature of this evidence is an example of why there must always be last-minute clemency Clive Stafford SmithDirector, Reprieve 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 final appeal was turned down last week. He is set to become the first EU national to be executed in China in 50 years. | 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. |
| 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. |
| They were the first family members to have face-to-face contact with Mr Shaikh in two years. | They were the first family members to have face-to-face contact with Mr Shaikh in two years. |
| Witness statements | Witness statements |
| His cousins also handed in a petition to the local court asking for a stay of execution and a made a plea for mercy to Chinese President Hu Jintao. | His cousins also handed in a petition to the local court asking for a stay of execution and a made a plea for mercy to Chinese President Hu Jintao. |
| Legal charity Reprieve has been working on the case with Mr Shaikh's family. | Legal charity Reprieve has been working on the case with Mr Shaikh's 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. |
| 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. |
| 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 |
| Reprieve's witnesses all say Mr Shaikh was 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 was 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." |
| 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." |