FT Chronicle

Akmal Shaikh, a British national executed at 10:30am (China time) after being sentenced to death in China for illegal possession of heroin despite the clamour of his family and the British government for clemency.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, other ministers and opposition leaders condemned China for executing a British who said to have had mental disorders.

In a statement, Mr. Brown said: “I condemn the execution of Akmal Shaikh in the strongest terms, and am appalled and disappointed that our persistent requests for clemency have not been granted,”

“No one has the right to comment on China’s judicial Sovereignty. It is common wish of people around the world to strike against the crime of drug trafficking.” said Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Jiang Yu in press briefing.

According to Chinese embassy in London, Shaikh had “no previous medical record” of mental illness and that his rights and interest had been properly respected. “During the legal process Mr Shaikh’s rights and interests were properly respected and guaranteed and the concerns of the British side were duly noted and taken into consideration by the Chinese judicial authorities.”

Shaikh, a father of 3 who was arrested in September 2007 and was convicted of smuggling 4kg of heroin into China.

(Photo credits: AFP/GETTY, via Telegraph.co.uk)