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Abbas Khan: Doctor's death in Syria 'in effect murder' Abbas Khan: Doctor's death in Syria 'in effect murder'
(about 1 hour later)
British doctor Abbas Khan has been "in effect murdered" by the Syrian authorities just days before his expected release from jail, Foreign Office Minister Hugh Robertson said.British doctor Abbas Khan has been "in effect murdered" by the Syrian authorities just days before his expected release from jail, Foreign Office Minister Hugh Robertson said.
He said the death of the 32-year-old orthopaedic surgeon from south London was "at best extremely suspicious".He said the death of the 32-year-old orthopaedic surgeon from south London was "at best extremely suspicious".
Dr Khan was arrested last year in Aleppo where he was helping civilians. Mr Khan was arrested last year in Aleppo where he was helping civilians.
Syria's Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad said Dr Khan committed suicide using his pyjamas to hang himself. Syria's Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad said Mr Khan committed suicide using his pyjamas to hang himself.
He said the results of an autopsy proved this, and Mr Khan's body would be released to his family so they could conduct their own inquiry.
One of Mr Khan's brothers, Shahnawaz Khan, said it was "a lie" and "pure fiction" that his brother committed suicide as he had written to his family saying he was looking forward to coming home and spending Christmas with them.
'No excuse''No excuse'
He said the results of an autopsy proved this. He also said that Dr Khan's body will be released to his family. The doctor's relatives had been told he would be freed on Friday following an order from Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Dr Khan's relatives had been told he would be freed on Friday following an order from the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Mr Robertson said the government was seeking "urgent clarification" about what had happened to Mr Khan, originally from Streatham.
Dr Khan's brother, Afroze Khan, said when his mother went to see her son in Damascus on Monday, she was told he was dead. He said: "We can't at the moment be absolutely certain about the circumstances in which Dr Khan met his death, but what is clear is that he went to Syria on a humanitarian mission, was imprisoned by the Syrian authorities and met his death while he was in prison in circumstances that are at best extremely suspicious.
The family has said it is "absurd" to think he would commit suicide with his release imminent.
Mr Robertson said the government was seeking "urgent clarification" about what had happened to Dr Khan, originally from Streatham.
He said "We can't at the moment be absolutely certain about the circumstances in which Dr Khan met his death, but what is clear is that he went to Syria on a humanitarian mission, was imprisoned by the Syrian authorities and met his death while he was in prison in circumstances that are at best extremely suspicious.
"There is no excuse whatsoever for the treatment that he has suffered by the Syrian authorities who have in effect murdered a British national who was in their country to help people who were injured during their civil war.""There is no excuse whatsoever for the treatment that he has suffered by the Syrian authorities who have in effect murdered a British national who was in their country to help people who were injured during their civil war."
Respect MP George Galloway, who has liaised with the Syrian authorities and was due to collect Dr Khan on Friday, said the death was "murder most foul" and it was "inconceivable that he committed suicide". 'Summarily executed'
'Proud of brother' Respect MP George Galloway, who has liaised with the Syrian authorities and was due to collect Mr Khan on Friday, said the death was "murder most foul" and it was "inconceivable that he committed suicide".
The MP for Bradford West said he believed somebody within the regime killed Dr Khan to defy President Assad's decision to release him. The MP for Bradford West said he believed somebody within the regime had killed Mr Khan to defy President Assad's decision to release him.
BBC correspondent Paul Wood, reporting from Beirut, said Dr Khan could have been a casualty of a power struggle between the Syrian president and his own security services. BBC correspondent Paul Wood, reporting from Beirut, said Mr Khan could have been a casualty of a power struggle between the Syrian president and his own security services.
He said: "Only President Assad could have ordered the doctor's release - if he did so it may well have been a goodwill gesture in the run up to peace talks that Britain is helping to organise.He said: "Only President Assad could have ordered the doctor's release - if he did so it may well have been a goodwill gesture in the run up to peace talks that Britain is helping to organise.
"Some in the regime perhaps do not want those talks to succeed.""Some in the regime perhaps do not want those talks to succeed."
Dr Khan's brother Shahnawaz Khan said: "Life's been turned upside down. We are a very close knit family. We have been through this ordeal for 13 months now and are in utter despair really. Shahnawaz Khan said his mother was in a "state of shock and disbelief" as she had been expecting a call asking her to come and collect her son, but was instead informed of his death.
"But we are also proud that he died doing something that he believed in - helping people who were in desperate need." "To be so close and to be robbed of it" was the "cruellest" thing to happen, he said.
Dr Khan, who had two young children and worked at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital in Stanmore, north-west London, was detained 48 hours after entering Syria last November. He rejected the Syrian government's claim of suicide saying his brother was "summarily executed".
'Wayward traveller'
Mr Khan had letters and video of the humanitarian work he did in Turkey and Syria before his detention, he added.
He also accused the UK government of treating his brother's case as if he was a "wayward traveller", and said the family had "very little assistance" from the authorities.
Mr Khan, who worked at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital in Stanmore, north-west London, was detained 48 hours after entering Syria last November.
He had been moved by the plight of refugees and worked in refugee camps in Turkey. He had not planned to go to Syria but some people were too badly injured to travel.He had been moved by the plight of refugees and worked in refugee camps in Turkey. He had not planned to go to Syria but some people were too badly injured to travel.
Earlier this year, his mother - who has spent the last four months in Damascus - found him in a prison in the city weighing just five stone (32kg) and barely able to walk.Earlier this year, his mother - who has spent the last four months in Damascus - found him in a prison in the city weighing just five stone (32kg) and barely able to walk.
He claimed he had been tortured while being detained without charge, and had been held for much of the time on his own.He claimed he had been tortured while being detained without charge, and had been held for much of the time on his own.
Mr Khan was one of seven brothers and sisters and is survived by his wife Hanna, his seven-year-old son Abdullah and daughter Ruqquaya, aged six.