april december pakistani british businessman convicted executed china drug trafficking trial execution attracted significant media attention born pakistan moved united_kingdom child couple failed businesses moved poland second wife dream starting airline later pop star travelled poland china arrested chinese customs officers september kilograms heroin hidden compartment baggage defence team pleaded ignorance existence drugs lawyers said evidence overwhelming anti death penalty organisation argued suffered mental illness exploited criminals tricked transporting heroin promise recording contract assessed mental health experts denied mentally ill requested psychiatric evaluation prove requests refused chinese authorities grounds laws required defendants provide past medical records showing evidence mental disorder undertaken appeals family british government officials appeals supreme_court confirmed death sentence given trial october executed lethal injection december reported european national executed china portuguese citizen faced drug trafficking charges death sentence carried early britain official representations chinese government chinese ambassador london summoned twice meet ministers execution senior british politicians strongly condemned execution disappointed granted human rights groups western legal experts chinese law criticised lack process united_nations special philip said refusal assess mental health violation international law chinese embassy britain said previous medical record mental illness rights interests properly respected guaranteed said chinese stance strong resentment felt public drug based bitter memory history reference second wars professor criminal law said administration death penalty related country history culture conditions human nature criminal country family judicial independence fully respected equal law biography muslim pakistani united_kingdom parents childhood wife converted islam married sons daughter 1980s estate agent united_states moved london business started mini cab business called prospered time fell bankruptcy years 1990s sexually harassed dismissed year old female employee failed pay half wages awarded damages unpaid wages subsequently paid son failed attend tribunal hearings harassment case sold business firm marriage ended divorce married polish secretary pregnant child moved poland permanently reportedly ambitions start airline going frequently autumn following july london bombings sent text message people london saying everybody understand muslims consequently investigated terror suspect months british intelligence poland december investigation discontinued insufficient evidence polish wife reported daily_mail saying began act silly crazy way finally settled poland second child daughter marriage broke homeless time wife remarried baby new husband wife reported polish police threatening behaviour children later withdrew statement case went court sentenced polish court year jail suspended years driving influence alcohol prohibited driving years wanted court paying joined month long demonstration nurses outside warsaw office prime minister poland met british musician according living ate soup kitchen chinese press reports told started business poland met forced abandon conspiracy wrote song come little rabbit said fellow recording organisation working death penalty campaigned release following arrest china cites saying musical talent appeared entertain ideas stardom reportedly said imagine singing worse recording told high convinced huge hit told crazy worst thing heard laughed face repeated huge recording tune song lyrics include refrain world people god released raise awareness campaign save drug trafficking trials execution said met man poland named believed contacts music industry help famous travelled man named promised opportunity perform huge nightclub china owned travelled china stopping stayed star hotel september flew north west china claimed told travel china flight allegedly gave carry promised flight arrested arrival airport day baggage search revealed carrying kilograms heroin purity alerted nervous behaviour customs officers searched found drugs hidden compartment case practically clothes chinese person said claimed chinese authorities attempt catch supposed arrive plane turned according british media informed arrest year later trial november director appointed represent tried november defence asserted court knew drugs found guilty october failed appeals sentenced death according section chinese criminal code provides death penalty smuggling heroin quantities grams sentence accordance prospect says judgement public october second trial case heard second instance second trial said defended speech lasting minutes greeted court officials according article lawyers representing second trial said key defence argument ignorance drug transporting said official documents baggage examination reports record arrest pictures video footage taken baggage check overwhelmingly play court video footage recorded advised undergo mental evaluation initially refused arguing mentally ill lawyer insistence statement requesting evaluation prove mentally sound said family history mental illnesses ruled documents provided beijing support request psychiatric assessment prove mental disorder history mental disease family lawyer confirmed documents received contained medical information disorder list symptoms case studies specific according professor professor emeritus november trial lasted half hour said trial court initially agreed allow psychiatric evaluation subsequently refused stated court decision refuse mental assessment based laws requiring defendants provide past medical records showing evidence mental disorder undertaken reported view medical records provided contained documentary evidence support claims condition chinese authorities state provided interpretation trials guardian foreign secretary interpretation inadequate final appeal independent assessment mental condition failed december execution date set december told impending execution time humanitarian reasons visited cousins british officials hospital treated heart condition august informed die hours execution december executed lethal injection december family members british officials refused access final hours chinese authorities allowed witness execution according national member state executed china years officials given muslim burial body intact according family wishes family allowed attend campaign behalf concerned apparent lack legal process dispute carrying large heroin argued release based mentally ill time offence saying court condition account trial case attracted support special executions said strong indications suffering mental illness said chinese international law clearly indicate person committed crime suffering significant mental illness subjected death penalty mentally ill man major step backwards china family lost touch left poland pleaded mercy letter chinese ambassador elder brother wrote brother life destroyed mental illness maintained kind harmless healthy loved family concerned effect execution mother woman family able break news lose youngest child week children said father seriously ill life pleaded family cite examples erratic behaviour questionable decisions interviewed people dealings support claims disorder celebrity joined campaign released hundreds sent embassy staff warsaw group individuals organisations including argued pop stardom condition especially susceptible confidence tricks solicitor described client charming charismatic said client recently lawyer said time went poland sit conversation assessed psychiatrist britain clinical forensic psychologist engaged sent china allowed direct access minutes access given officials interview said able cent certainty suffering mental disorder possibly professor suggested china failed comply international legal standards required thorough mental evaluation rendering final judgment said challenged people lot things lose control seldom heard mentally ill person hiding heroin double layered added court reason consider alleged mental illness showed signs suffering jail asserted claims family contradicted denied having history mental disorder professor criminal law professor professor criminal law stated chinese court decision execute completely appropriate denial mental evaluation legitimate consistent legal precedent said administration death penalty related country history culture conditions human nature criminal country family judicial independence fully respected equal law said british media ran emotional stories local people reacted sorrow anger britain retain death penalty country respect judicial independence country interference internal affairs britain official representations chinese government case reportedly wrote times pleaded case personally copenhagen summit chinese ambassador london summoned twice government case london cited country obligations illicit drug trafficking justification grave crime drug smuggling embassy statement asserted rights interests chinese law properly respected guaranteed cousins arrived spend time hospital day execution minute petition local court stay execution british embassy officials delivered plea mercy president visit informed impending death reaction human rights organisations condemned china refusal consider alleged psychological illness denial justice british commentators largely sympathetic supportive hard line chinese stance drug smuggling accepted little british government accused british leaders light country drugs problem british control supportive execution chinese authorities reacted angrily foreign interference citing bitter memory china foreign stressing legal procedures safeguard defendant complied chinese public cited overwhelmingly support execution justified endorsement action british press group mounted campaign said passed new evidence people knew poland received final hours chinese government acknowledged receiving time execution legal director said talk special treatment ridiculous chinese law provisions protect mental illness chose condemned execution incompetent man mental health charities echoed sentiments family execution split establishment secure humanitarian treatment cousins praised efforts british ministers cousins attacked government media scathing letter guardian questioned effectiveness government approach criticised sporadic media attention cousin plight years accused government acting face china economic united_kingdom following execution range views british press agreed political leaders expressed concerns mental health assessment requests granted critical government reaction fairly neutral journalists supported government stance author economist column asian affairs felt issue raised questions effective use defendants judicial process wrote spectator felt china power seeking status rights western world responsibilities prospect magazine held similar opinion chinese authorities wished stand old chinese people led right direction editorial independent noted asian countries impose death penalty drug smuggling commented execution arrogance rising power evidence china feeling way wider world wrote times felt british government wish influence china capital punishment little historical order british commentators critical government response daily_telegraph compared government sabre approach british attitude war guardian felt china interested lectures europeans morality drugs trade daily_mail said international china declared support execution condemned britain weak stance drugs tolerance drug use discussion daily_mail website participants overwhelmingly favour execution popular unanimous sun criticised british politicians media case linked government reaction labour_party soft stance immigration crime daily_mirror supported china strong stance drug said british government reaction belief news world commented irony drug executed drug injection felt public didn care human rights drug official view said right speak ill china judicial sovereignty express strong dissatisfaction opposition criticism case urge british correct mistake order avoid china relations chinese embassy london said legal structures china different stand way enhancing relations basis mutual respect embassy cited bitter memory trade 19th century reason strong resentment felt chinese public drug foreign especially british interference summit session china human rights scheduled early january postponed china daily_telegraph said widely thought public criticism china execution views majority chinese people supported execution survey showed favour execution opposing said china death penalty strong public support acts crime observed fact european executed china years highly sensational viewed context uniform application sentencing standards chinese foreigners progress china legal system steadily building principle rule law vocal supporters included overseas chinese legal specialists government officials journalists professor accused labour politicians trying issue china human rights political advantage upcoming election academic said british criticism lacked legal moral basis reaction showed considerable cultural arrogance considered british politicians reaction attempt create sentiments manipulate public professor said britain china respect differences ideology moral standards moral standards judge condemn china citing polls comments websites british press chinese media reported politicians outcry vast majority understanding support china action editorial published professor history political science hailed execution saying decision upheld dignity chinese law suggested act result international pressure return privileges granted foreign nationals china half 19th half 20th century unequal treaties han said nation bending laws outside pressure invites endless troubles future leading lack respect laws country dismissed criticism china human rights record western governments excuse intervene china internal affairs international reaction public organisations individual experts media critical judicial process human rights spokesman felt initial conviction allowed process assessing mental health violation chinese law international law european_union condemned execution regretted calls sentence felt execution highlighted injustice death penalty particularly china called countries press chinese government improve legal proceedings defendants especially facing death penalty expert chinese law commented asia law institute main legal issue refusal psychiatric examination china review judicial process regard light international criticism internal pressure country shares world mentally irresponsible people execution refused psychiatric examination public sympathy prompted chinese experts seek necessary law reforms reaction international media broadly critical authorities german commentators universally critical beijing newsweek felt chinese authorities consolidated position domestically giving impression chinese citizens government protect best way knows mentally unstable carrying drugs ireland felt west overlooking human rights concerns china enjoying beijing olympics
Akmal Shaikh