British man to be shot at 10.30am british time

[Southover Street Seagull]

. I can't say I sympathize with this fellow in China, and I can't say I agree with him being put to death. But - he knew it was illegal, he may have known the consequences - and if he didn't then he's too thick to feel much for too. He apparently had the 'intelligence' to contrive a heroin smuggling attempt and with a view to profiting, unless the stuff was concealed on him without his knowledge!.
Personally, I won't spend any emotion for or against him - it's a case of 'que sera' for his own actions. If he's a lesson to others - that's a positive to get from it.
He took his chances, and he's blown it. That's his deal.

Have you read the article I posted on this thread on a previous page? Have a read of it, it may change your ideas about the case.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/dec/28/akmal-shaikh-execution-china-mental-illness

 

[Pavilionaire]

What a sad case.

It would appear the Chinese government have not acted appropriately and have, once again, committed another abuse of human rights.

What is particularly sad is that the case was made in time but they didn't seem to be bothered about the facts.

The question is whether or not the West simply accepts that China, culturally, has a different outlook on human rights and places a lower value on human life.

I'd take the view that any fundamental change will take decades to achieve because we're talking about a philosophy ingrained in their society. Fortunately, these cases are few and far between.

 

[Finchley Seagull]

The fact that his trial lasted only half an hour after which he was sentenced to death should surely have raised alarm bells. To have judges laughing at his statement in his appeal and yet still uphold the sentence is shocking. The saddest thing is there are no doubt many Chinese people in China who are either innocent or mentally ill who are sentenced to death and executed after a short trial and no representation. Their human rights record is an utter disgrace and the (admittedly few) people on this thread saying we would be a better country if we did the same are either stupid or on a wind up.

 

[bhaexpress]

All the time that China is prepared to poison it's own people and thus produce consumer goods more cheaply than anywhere else Human Rights won't ever get a look in. What about the Olympics for a start ?

 

[daveinprague]

think one of them was called brian chambers, the other one was kevin something, it may have been malaysia.

ok, yeah...it was Malaysia...couple of Australians..

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Exact numbers of executions within China are unknown as they are regarded as a state secret..!

"In 2009, Amnesty International estimated 1718 executions took place during 2008, based on all information available. Amnesty International claimed that the figure was likely to be much higher."

 

[Tooting Gull]

I'd take the view that any fundamental change will take decades to achieve because we're talking about a philosophy ingrained in their society. .

Exactly. It's like getting the East Anglians to sleep with non-family members.

 

[User removed 4]

ok, yeah...it was Malaysia...couple of Australians..

no, one of them was british.

 

[Questions]

Shooting him is a bit barbaric though.
Surely a lethal injection of a drug would be better...................................
Maybe heroine or something.

 

[Don Quixote]

The sooner Obama pulls his finger out and sorts these scum bags out the better. If only John Mccain had won.

 

[daveinprague]

no, one of them was british.

Not according to wiki...

The Barlow and Chambers execution refers to the hanging in 1986 by Malaysia of two Australian citizens, Kevin John Barlow and Brian Geoffrey Chambers of Perth, Western Australia, for the drug trafficking of 141.9g of heroin.

 

[daveinprague]

The sooner Obama pulls his finger out and sorts these scum bags out the better. If only John Mccain had won.

You think the US should do what with China??

They are already using 21st century gunships to fight shepherds in Afghanistan, and not exactly winning...
Think China might be a bit ambitious...

Keep out of other peoples business I say...

and on that note, I consider Afghanistan to be an American war...not ours...
Why British people want to go and fight Americas wars for them is beyond me..
we should keep out of that crap...just as the Americans kept out of the Falklands affair.


but that sort of hijacks the thread...

If they didnt execute this bloke, their whole legal point about hard drugs falls apart, and people will be claiming mental illness automatically if caught..although, personally, if you try to smuggle anything in a place like China, then you are possibly mentally ill...but you need a doctors note....
Think that was a point the Chinese made...wheres the medical proof that he was mentally ill...family claim its been for some time, but from what ive read, theres no records concerning anything like that.

 

[Finchley Seagull]

You think the US should do what with China??

They are already using 21st century gunships to fight shepherds in Afghanistan, and not exactly winning...
Think China might be a bit ambitious...

Keep out of other peoples business I say...

and on that note, I consider Afghanistan to be an American war...not ours...
Why British people want to go and fight Americas wars for them is beyond me..
we should keep out of that crap...just as the Americans kept out of the Falklands affair.


but that sort of hijacks the thread...

If they didnt execute this bloke, their whole legal point about hard drugs falls apart, and people will be claiming mental illness automatically if caught..although, personally, if you try to smuggle anything in a place like China, then you are possibly mentally ill...but you need a doctors note....
Think that was a point the Chinese made...wheres the medical proof that he was mentally ill...family claim its been for some time, but from what ive read, theres no records concerning anything like that.

Firstly, if you read about his behaviour it is clear he was mentally ill. Secondly, the Chinese would not allow a mental health check to be made. If they were so sure there was nothing wrong with him, what is the harm in doing an independent check. My view is the Chinese knew that he was mentally ill but because of their slap dash views towards human rights they had already sentenced him to death before they realised. By showing he was mentally ill, they would be showing the world how bad their human rights record really is and the true nature of the Chinese justice system.

 

[csider]

He looks like an ABBO.

 

[daveinprague]

Firstly, if you read about his behaviour it is clear he was mentally ill. Secondly, the Chinese would not allow a mental health check to be made. If they were so sure there was nothing wrong with him, what is the harm in doing an independent check. My view is the Chinese knew that he was mentally ill but because of their slap dash views towards human rights they had already sentenced him to death before they realised. By showing he was mentally ill, they would be showing the world how bad their human rights record really is and the true nature of the Chinese justice system.

I agree..his behaviour was bizarre, but people have claimed mental illness before.. one of the Mafia Dons springs to mind...
If there is no previous medical evidence or records to back up the family claims..etc etc..well, its sad, but ive no right to condemn Chinese laws.
Under their law, 50g of heroin gets the death sentence. He had 4 kg...
Maybe he was duped. Im sure plenty have, and plenty more will.
The fact that he is a British citizen isnt here nor there really.

In the USA, people who committed crimes, when not adults, and with mental problems (with medical reports to prove it) have also been put to death.
China can have whatever laws it chooses. Not for me to decide for them, and
in the absence of credible medical reports of a history of mental illness, then, as sad as it is, thats it.

 

[Man of Harveys]

INot for me to decide for them, and
in the absence of credible medical reports of a history of mental illness, then, as sad as it is, thats it.

Thankfully here, criminal intent is an important factor there to be proven when convicting someone. The following behaviour doesn't to me sound like that of someone capable of deciding to smuggle drugs into a country that carries out 75% of the world's executions...although maybe the stuff about Englishmen wouldn't go totally amiss on NSC:

"However, when he arrived in Poland to live fulltime a year later, Agnieszka said that he began to act in a “really silly and crazy way”.

Once sent her a fake letter claiming to show that he had won £1 million and wrote hundreds of delusional emails, in large 72-point print, which he sent to 74 organisations and individuals, including Tony Blair, Sir Paul McCartney, George Bush and the BBC programme Top Gear.

In some of the messages, he claimed to have spoken to the angel Gabriel, and also suggested that he could have foiled the 7 July 2005 bombings in London had he been allowed to hold a press conference.

Typical of the hundreds of emails he sent to embassy staff in Warsaw is one that states: "Hey old chap u have any marshmallows. i man luvly bonfire u must roast some marshmellows I mean that's NOrMal." Another reads: "There is no such thinG as an englishmaN I mean king harold got it smack bang center in the EYE. its just not cricket anymore."

The marriage quickly broke down and Shaikh became homeless on the streets of Lublin, and later, Warsaw.

Among Shaikh ‘s emails, meanwhile, was reference to two characters he met allegedly called Carlos and Okole, whom he said were going to help him achieve his dream of making it as a singer.

Though he had very little musical talent, he recorded an out of tune song in English, Arabic and Polish called Come Little Rabbit, which, according to the emails, he thought had the potential to bring about world peace."

 

[CHAPPERS]

Most of the mdma (not that you can get it anymore) in the world is made in China.

 

[Questions]

Thankfully here, criminal intent is an important factor there to be proven when convicting someone. The following behaviour doesn't to me sound like that of someone capable of deciding to smuggle drugs into a country that carries out 75% of the world's executions...although maybe the stuff about Englishmen wouldn't go totally amiss on NSC:


The marriage quickly broke down and Shaikh became homeless on the streets of Lublin, and later, Warsaw.

Among Shaikh ‘s emails, meanwhile, was reference to two characters he met allegedly called Carlos and Okole, whom he said were going to help him achieve his dream of making it as a singer.

Though he had very little musical talent, he recorded an out of tune song in English, Arabic and Polish called Come Little Rabbit, which, according to the emails, he thought had the potential to bring about world peace."[/QUOTE]


If there ever is to be world peace I have always suspected it would be brought about by rabbits.

 

[Questions]

Most of the mdma (not that you can get it anymore) in the world is made in China.

So why are we painting them in such a bad light then ?

 

[CHAPPERS]

So why are we painting them in such a bad light then ?

God knows.

They can kill as many scag dealers as they like, as long as they start producing the nice mandy again.