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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Doctor's family 'can probe death' | Doctor's family 'can probe death' |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The Syrian government has told the family of UK doctor Abbas Khan it can send a team to Damascus to investigate his death. | The Syrian government has told the family of UK doctor Abbas Khan it can send a team to Damascus to investigate his death. |
| Syrian authorities have said their post-mortem examination showed he killed himself while in detention. | Syrian authorities have said their post-mortem examination showed he killed himself while in detention. |
| But his family has said this is not credible as he was due to be released. | But his family has said this is not credible as he was due to be released. |
| Mr Khan, an orthopaedic surgeon from south London who entered Syria to help civilians, was arrested 13 months ago. | Mr Khan, an orthopaedic surgeon from south London who entered Syria to help civilians, was arrested 13 months ago. |
| Syrian authorities told the BBC that Mr Khan's family can arrange an independent post-mortem examination. | Syrian authorities told the BBC that Mr Khan's family can arrange an independent post-mortem examination. |
| The government also said it would share the findings of its own post-mortem examination with the family. | The government also said it would share the findings of its own post-mortem examination with the family. |
| 'Frankly insulting' | 'Frankly insulting' |
| A member of Mr Khan's family is expected to go to Damascus to collect Mr Khan's body when visa formalities are completed, the government said. | A member of Mr Khan's family is expected to go to Damascus to collect Mr Khan's body when visa formalities are completed, the government said. |
| Mr Kahn's brother Shahnawaz Khan said that the family just wanted his body to be released. | Mr Kahn's brother Shahnawaz Khan said that the family just wanted his body to be released. |
| "We do not want any more investigations we want his body to be released and brought home," he said. | "We do not want any more investigations we want his body to be released and brought home," he said. |
| "The authorities allowing an investigation is... frankly insulting." | "The authorities allowing an investigation is... frankly insulting." |
| He said the Syrian authorities had not spoken with the family directly about when they would release Mr Khan's body. | He said the Syrian authorities had not spoken with the family directly about when they would release Mr Khan's body. |
| Mr Khan died days before he was expected to be released from jail. | Mr Khan died days before he was expected to be released from jail. |
| A spokesman for David Cameron said: "The Prime Minister extends his sincerest condolences to Dr Khan's family. It is obviously a very difficult time for them. | A spokesman for David Cameron said: "The Prime Minister extends his sincerest condolences to Dr Khan's family. It is obviously a very difficult time for them. |
| "We have been in regular contact with them throughout Dr Khan's detention and we have also raised his case with the Syrian regime." | "We have been in regular contact with them throughout Dr Khan's detention and we have also raised his case with the Syrian regime." |
| He said the doctor's death was "further evidence of the brutality of that regime". | He said the doctor's death was "further evidence of the brutality of that regime". |
| 'In effect murdered' | 'In effect murdered' |
| Mr Khan, who worked at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital in Stanmore, north-west London, was detained 48 hours after entering Syria last November. | 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 before travelling to Syria to treat badly injured children, his family said. | He had been moved by the plight of refugees and worked in refugee camps in Turkey before travelling to Syria to treat badly injured children, his family said. |
| Mr Khan's brother said that it was "pure fiction" that Mr Khan had committed suicide as he had written to relatives saying he was looking forward to coming home for Christmas. | |
| On Tuesday, the Foreign Office said that the doctor had been "in effect murdered" by the Syrian authorities and at best his death was "extremely suspicious". | |
| Mr Khan has criticised the British government for not doing enough to secure his brother's freedom. | |
| He said the Foreign Office had treated his case as if he was a "wayward traveller in Dubai being caught drunk". | |
| The Foreign Office said it had "consistently sought" consular access to Mr Khan and information on his detention, directly and through the Russians, Czechs and others. |