Akmal shaikh

[thehappyprince]

Just think it's desperately sad he is going to be executed within hours for a crime committed apparently due to psychotic beliefs from bipolar disorder. Wish there was some way for him to get clemency.

Frankly even without the mitigating circumstances execution is appalling. The prison he is being held in has the power to commute his sentence.

I agree, thom, but suppose I could see an argument that if you commit a crime in a country you accept their laws. In his case he doesn't seem to have any real understanding of what has happened or is happening. IMO totally barbaric

I keep watching the news and hoping they are going to announce they have decided not to execute

but the hours are ticking away

I think our government should be doing more

think it's only about 5 hours to go now

What should they be doing though?

they should have flown someone senior out there - I know people have said the foreign office have done a lot but I think it needs a higher profile. China won't care about this unless they think it has bigger political ramifications

this is a mentally ill man about to be executed - even without the mental illness, I think it's appalling

anyway, am off to bed but I really hope I will wake up and find he wasn't executed

I find this whole story incredibly sad. We have sat round the table with the Chinese at all these recent summits - economic ones, environmental ones - shook their hands, done deals - yet they are going to execute this poor vulnerable man and will not listen to the pleas of our prime minister, government, doctors, charities, his family.

(am also anti all executions, not only his - I know there are thousands of other Chinese executed every year )

How can drug smuggling whatever the laws of the country warrant death? I will never ever understand these things.

it's apparently so they give a clear message that it's a crime they won't tolerate, sigh. But tbh, the Chinese are trigger happy and execute for numerous reasons.

but it doesnt stop people just like in the US it doesnt stop murder

The Chinese are responsible for about 90% of death penalties in the world. They execute thousands a year. This poor man was totally duped by some evil drugs traffickers who convinced him he was being taking to China and being launched as a pop star.

I hope we expel the Chinese Ambassador, but I doubt Glen Miller Band David Milliband has got the balls.

We won't do anything effective. We do too much trade with China to risk having the back bone to make a proper stand. Sadly it all boils down to money IMO.

poor man and his family

Sadly agree missy8c, china too important economically and politically for govt to really make a point. Saying that, em and gb have at least appealed for clemency though seems unlikely will make any difference.

They have done it

Poor poor man.

Awful news. Absolutely wrong and inhumane on so many levels. I feel so sorry for him and his family.

Poor man and poor family. I don't agree with execution - it is utterly barbaric. Nobody has the right to take a life - the murderer or the executioner.

Really shocking and depressing. Almost as frightening is the daily mail comments - in a country that presumes to be enlightened....

poor man and his family

bunch of murderers the Chinese. Wish we would take a stand on this (as a country) but we won't because of their economic power. Is absolutely disgraceful. If a poorer, less economically important country did this, we'd be all over them like a rash grrr.

He wasn't even a murderer jollypirate - he was a drug smuggler.

comments on the Times aren't much better jollypirate!

This is just so desperately tragic.

Seems that there wasn't much done, other than the Chinese Ambassador was summoned. On the night of the execution?

Of course no one knows what was done behind closed doors, but this is dreadful on so many levels.

Tragic and appalling and just so, so