Family hits back at Chinese authorities over execution
The family of Akmal Shaikh, who was executed in China this week, have issued scathing criticisms at the world’s most populous nation as his cousins arrived back in the UK following their failed attempts at clemency.
The man’s brother, Akbar Shaikh, said the family could no longer remain quiet in the face of allegations made about the case by Chinese authorities.
Shaikh, who was executed for carrying 4 kilograms of heroin into the north west Chinese city of Urumqi in September 2007, was executed despite calls for clemency by the UK Government and human rights group Reprieve.
Akmal’s cousins, Soohail and Nasir, have arrived back in the UK following their eleventh-hour pleas for clemency falling on deaf ears. They also visited Shaikh, who is believed to be suffering from bipolar disorder, for an hour and a half in prison.
Campaigners say that in spite of his mental health issues, a full mental health assessment was not carried out for the Chinese courts.
His family singled out a comment made by the Chinese Embassy in London, which insisted that Mr Shaikh had his rights and interests guaranteed and respected, as well as a further claim by the Embassy saying that he had no previous record of mental illness.
Speaking on behalf of the family, Akbar Shaikh said his brother did not receive any form of mental health assessment after his arrest.
The family said in a statement that they firmly believe that Akmal should not have been executed by the Chinese as he was vulnerable and mentally unstable, yet no mental health assessment was undertaken by the Chinese at any point during the case.
Shaikh, 53, from Kentish Town was arrested in the north west Chinese city of Urumqi in September 2007 for smuggling 4 kilograms of heroin into the country.