China executes British man

The UK is condemning China for executing a British national, Akmal Shaikh, on drug smuggling charges. This was the first European to be executed in China in 50 years. According to Chinese law, if a person is carrying more than 50 grams of heroin, they can be sentenced to death, and Shaikh was carrying 4 kilograms. The UK, however, is against the death penalty and, in addition to that, believes that the Chinese government ignored Shaikh's mental state. Those who knew the man say he was bipolar and tricked into trafficking drugs, but China failed to take Shaikh's mental health into consideration.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/12/29/china.britain.smuggler/index.html

By: Sam Lent