Jump to content

Akmal Shaikh: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
Lkjhgfdsa 0 (talk | contribs)
5,142 edits
it is relevant to his life, and tells the reader what kind of man Shaikh really was: not a nice loving but naive family man who did the best for his kids, but an irresponsible deadbeat dad
Undid revision 334894840 by Lkjhgfdsa 0 (talk) I agree with the deletion -- see talk page
Line 31: Line 31:
{{Inappropriate tone|section}}
{{Inappropriate tone|section}}
{{Story|section}}
{{Story|section}}
Shaikh, a [[Muslim]], [[Immigration to the United Kingdom since 1922|migrated]] with his parents during his childhood. He married a [[Hindu]] who converted to Islam. They had two sons and a daughter together. His marriage ended in divorce. They lived in the United States in the 1980s, where Shaikh was an estate agent. They moved back to the United Kingdom when the business failed. He then started a mini cab business in London but fell into bankruptcy. He sexually harrassed his 24 year old employee, then sacked her. She took him to a tribunal, won her case and over £10,000. He employed her after arranging for an employment agency to send him CVs only of women under 25. He refused to pay the damages.
Shaikh, a [[Muslim]], [[Immigration to the United Kingdom since 1922|migrated]] with his parents during his childhood. He married a [[Hindu]] who converted to Islam. They had two sons and a daughter together. His marriage ended in divorce. They lived in the United States in the 1980s, where Shaikh was an estate agent. They moved back to the United Kingdom when the business failed.


He subsequently moved to Poland,<ref name="mail-toolate">[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1238829/Akmal-Shaikh-Is-late-save-Briton-death-Chinese-firing-squad.html Is it too late to save Briton Akmal Shaikh from death by Chinese firing squad?]</ref> where he married in [[Lublin]]; he had a son and daughter from that marriage. He then divorced and was wanted in 2007 by a Polish court for not paying alimonies. In 2006 he was sentenced by Polish court for driving under influence of alcohol with suspended one year jail sentence and prohibition of driving for three years. On average every 6 months he was visiting the Lublin City Council with new business proposals. These included opening an air-taxi between Lublin and Warszawa (Warsaw), exporting lambs meat from Lublin to the UK, and building a mosque in Lublin (in 2005, this was his last business proposal to the City Council).<ref>http://www.dziennikwschodni.pl/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091228/KRAJSWIAT/157227922</ref><ref>http://www.dziennikwschodni.pl/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091229/KRAJSWIAT/12209491</ref><ref>http://www.dziennikwschodni.pl/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091228/KRAJSWIAT/904563383</ref><ref>http://www.dziennikwschodni.pl/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091229/LUBLIN/714212621</ref>
He subsequently moved to Poland,<ref name="mail-toolate">[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1238829/Akmal-Shaikh-Is-late-save-Briton-death-Chinese-firing-squad.html Is it too late to save Briton Akmal Shaikh from death by Chinese firing squad?]</ref> where he married in [[Lublin]]; he had a son and daughter from that marriage.


Shaikh reportedly had ambitions to become a [[pop star]] and travelled widely.<ref name=bbcpo/> According to information published by campaigning groups and media reports, Shaikh wrote a song in Poland which was recorded with the help of two British musicians, Paul Newberry and Gareth Saunders. In interviews with the media, the musicians claimed that Shaikh had no musical talent and appeared to entertain delusional ideas about stardom.<ref name="mail_29dec">{{cite news|url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1238454/Akmal-Shaikh-Briton-executed-Chinese-firing-squad-body-returned.html|title=Akmal Shaikh: Briton executed by lethal injection in China – and his body will not be returned|date=29 December 2009|publisher=Daily Mail|accessdate=29 December 2009}}</ref> A recording of this song was released by Reprieve, an organisation working against the [[death penalty]], in order to highlight his state of mind and raise awareness for their campaign <ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/6903316/Execution-of-Akmal-Shaikh-Briton-wanted-to-create-world-peace-with-Come-Little-Rabbit-song.html Briton wanted to create world peace with Come Little Rabbit song]</ref>. He also reportedly became involved with a man named Carlos who led Shaikh to believe that he had contacts in the music industry and could help make Shaikh famous. Shaikh travelled to [[Kyrgyzstan]], where a man named Okole, purporting to be the owner of a nightclub in China, promised Shaikh an opportunity to perform at the club. Okole and Shaikh travelled together to China, stopping in [[Tajikistan]], where Okole arranged accommodation for both of them in a five-star hotel, which reinforced Shaikh's impression that he was living a celebrity lifestyle.<ref name="reprieve1">{{cite web|url=http://www.reprieve.org.uk/akmalshaikh|title=Cases – Akmal Shaikh|publisher=Reprieve (campaigning organisation)|accessdate=26 December 2009}}</ref><ref name="guardian-harebrained">{{cite news|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/dec/28/akmal-shaikh-execution-china-mental-illness|title=Akmal Shaikh's harebrained business schemes and dreams of pop stardom|last=Pidd|first=Helen|date=28 December 2009|publisher=The Guardian|accessdate=29 December 2009}}</ref>
Shaikh reportedly had ambitions to become a [[pop star]] and travelled widely.<ref name=bbcpo/> According to information published by campaigning groups and media reports, Shaikh wrote a song in Poland which was recorded with the help of two British musicians, Paul Newberry and Gareth Saunders. In interviews with the media, the musicians claimed that Shaikh had no musical talent and appeared to entertain delusional ideas about stardom.<ref name="mail_29dec">{{cite news|url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1238454/Akmal-Shaikh-Briton-executed-Chinese-firing-squad-body-returned.html|title=Akmal Shaikh: Briton executed by lethal injection in China – and his body will not be returned|date=29 December 2009|publisher=Daily Mail|accessdate=29 December 2009}}</ref> A recording of this song was released by Reprieve, an organisation working against the [[death penalty]], in order to highlight his state of mind and raise awareness for their campaign <ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/6903316/Execution-of-Akmal-Shaikh-Briton-wanted-to-create-world-peace-with-Come-Little-Rabbit-song.html Briton wanted to create world peace with Come Little Rabbit song]</ref>. He also reportedly became involved with a man named Carlos who led Shaikh to believe that he had contacts in the music industry and could help make Shaikh famous. Shaikh travelled to [[Kyrgyzstan]], where a man named Okole, purporting to be the owner of a nightclub in China, promised Shaikh an opportunity to perform at the club. Okole and Shaikh travelled together to China, stopping in [[Tajikistan]], where Okole arranged accommodation for both of them in a five-star hotel, which reinforced Shaikh's impression that he was living a celebrity lifestyle.<ref name="reprieve1">{{cite web|url=http://www.reprieve.org.uk/akmalshaikh|title=Cases – Akmal Shaikh|publisher=Reprieve (campaigning organisation)|accessdate=26 December 2009}}</ref><ref name="guardian-harebrained">{{cite news|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/dec/28/akmal-shaikh-execution-china-mental-illness|title=Akmal Shaikh's harebrained business schemes and dreams of pop stardom|last=Pidd|first=Helen|date=28 December 2009|publisher=The Guardian|accessdate=29 December 2009}}</ref>

Revision as of 11:24, 30 December 2009

Akmal Shaikh
Portrait of a man of Indo-Pakistan race in white suit
Akmal Shaikh
StatusExecuted[2]
Cause of deathExecuted by lethal injection[4]
NationalityPakistani
CitizenshipBritish
OccupationTaxi driver
ChildrenThree sons, two daughters
Conviction(s)Drug trafficking
Criminal chargeDrug trafficking
PenaltyDeath

Akmal Shaikh (5 April 1956 – 29 December 2009[2]) was a British national, born in Pakistan, who was convicted and executed in the People's Republic of China for drug trafficking. Opponents of his execution claim he suffered from mental illness and was tricked into carrying drugs.[5] According to Reprieve, Shaikh was the first national of an EU country to be executed in China in over 50 years.[6]

Background

Shaikh, a Muslim, migrated with his parents during his childhood. He married a Hindu who converted to Islam. They had two sons and a daughter together. His marriage ended in divorce. They lived in the United States in the 1980s, where Shaikh was an estate agent. They moved back to the United Kingdom when the business failed.

He subsequently moved to Poland,[7] where he married in Lublin; he had a son and daughter from that marriage.

Shaikh reportedly had ambitions to become a pop star and travelled widely.[8] According to information published by campaigning groups and media reports, Shaikh wrote a song in Poland which was recorded with the help of two British musicians, Paul Newberry and Gareth Saunders. In interviews with the media, the musicians claimed that Shaikh had no musical talent and appeared to entertain delusional ideas about stardom.[9] A recording of this song was released by Reprieve, an organisation working against the death penalty, in order to highlight his state of mind and raise awareness for their campaign [10]. He also reportedly became involved with a man named Carlos who led Shaikh to believe that he had contacts in the music industry and could help make Shaikh famous. Shaikh travelled to Kyrgyzstan, where a man named Okole, purporting to be the owner of a nightclub in China, promised Shaikh an opportunity to perform at the club. Okole and Shaikh travelled together to China, stopping in Tajikistan, where Okole arranged accommodation for both of them in a five-star hotel, which reinforced Shaikh's impression that he was living a celebrity lifestyle.[11][12]

According to reports, Okole then told Shaikh he would have to travel alone to China as the flight was full, giving him a suitcase to carry and promising to join him later in China.[12][7] Akmal Shaikh flew from Dushanbe, in Tajikistan, to Ürümqi, in Xinjiang, Northwest China, apparently expecting to meet up with Okole there.[8]

Arrest and trial

Shaikh was arrested in September 2007 at Ürümqi Airport when a baggage search revealed he was carrying 4 kilograms (9 lb) of heroin. Shaikh denied all knowledge of the heroin, and claimed that he was duped into carrying the drugs as an unwitting mule after falling for a confidence trick in which a gang of fraudsters pretended they would help Shaikh become a pop star.[13]

The Chinese criminal code provides the death penalty for smuggling heroin in quantities more than 50 grams (2 oz); Shaikh was tried before a court and sentenced to death.

An appeal to the Chinese Supreme Court failed on 21 December 2009.[14] Relatives of Shaikh claimed that he was unaware of his impending execution throughout this time[5] and was informed that he was to be executed 24 hours in advance of the scheduled execution.[15]

Clemency campaign

Campaigners for the release of Shaikh say that there was evidence that he suffered from a form of bipolar disorder, and that his delusions of pop stardom were symptomatic of his condition. The disorder is also said to have made him especially susceptible to confidence tricks such as the one which led him to carry heroin.[11] The case attracted support from UN official Philip Alston,[16] human rights organisations Reprieve and Amnesty International.[17]

Concerns cited by campaigners included apparent lack of due legal process and failure to consider new witness evidence related to Shaikh's mental health history.[18]

Two of Shaikh's cousins flew to Ürümqi on 27 December 2009 and were allowed to meet with Akmal Shaikh.[19]

Britain made 27 official representations to the Chinese government about the case; Gordon Brown has reportedly written several times to Hu Jintao, and pleaded the case personally to Wen Jiabao during the Copenhagen summit.[2] The Chinese Embassy in London issued a statement about the case, citing the obligations of the People's Republic of China to United Nations Conventions against Illicit Drug Trafficking and the need to punish the "grave crime" of drug smuggling, while going against the UN's stated rejection of the death penalty.[20] The embassy statement asserted that Shaikh's rights and interests under Chinese law "are properly respected and guaranteed".[21]

The Chinese Supreme Court confirmed the death sentence on 29 December 2009, paving the way for an immediate execution.[22]

Issues of mental health

You must add a |reason= parameter to this Cleanup template – replace it with {{Cleanup|section|reason=<Fill reason here>}}, or remove the Cleanup template.
 Akmal Shaikh had never been diagnosed of mental disorder by a psychiatrist before the arrest.[23] According to Chinese law, sufficient evidence must be provided in order to qualify a mental assessment. While in this case, the Supreme Court decreed that the material provided by the British government did not qualify such a process, and Shaikh himself provided no such evidence, the case itself provided no reason to question his mental state, and therefore the request for an assessment of his mental state did not meet the necessary conditions.[24][25]

A statement issued by the Chinese embassy in London restated the view that Shaikh presented no evidence of previous mental illness[26] and Chinese media also commented that medical records provided by the British Embassy contained no documentary evidence to support claims of his condition.[27] According to the law of the People's Republic of China, the court exercised its right to reject requests to examine the defendant's mental condition, and therefore never investigated his psychiatric condition.[28]

Jonathan Watts of the The Guardian contrasted the case with a previous trial of an unnamed American national who successfully reduced his sentence on a murder case because the court accepted that he was a paranoid schizophrenic.[6]

Execution

Shaikh was executed by lethal injection at 10:30 China standard time (02:30 GMT) on 29 December 2009 in Ürümqi.[2][4] According to Reprieve, Shaikh was the first national of an EU country to be executed in China in over 50 years.[6]

Reaction to execution

United Kingdom

Prime Minister Gordon Brown released a statement following the execution saying: "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. I am particularly concerned that no mental health assessment was undertaken."[29]

Foreign Secretary David Miliband said: "The UK is completely opposed to the use of the death penalty in all circumstances. However I also deeply regret the fact that our specific concerns about the individual in this case were not taken into consideration despite repeated calls by the Prime Minister, ministerial colleagues and me. These included mental health issues, and inadequate professional interpretation during the trial."[30]

People's Republic of China

Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Jiang Yu said, "Nobody has the right to speak ill of China's judicial sovereignty. We express our strong dissatisfaction and opposition to the British Government's unreasonable criticism of the case. We urge the British to correct their mistake in order to avoid harming China-UK relations."[29]

The Chinese Embassy in London issued a statement saying, "The legal structures of China and UK may be different, but it should not stand in the way of enhancing our bilateral relations on the basis of mutual respect."[29] Further, the Embassy cited "the bitter memory of history" (in reference to the Opium trade of the 19th Century) as a reason for the "strong resentment" felt by the Chinese public to drug traffickers.[31]

International reaction

United Nations Special Rapporteur Philip Alston said: "We are informed that the initial conviction was based on a 30-minute hearing which would not seem to indicate due process or effective defence or presentation of evidence. We are then told that in the appeal requests to present medical evidence, requests to the court that it should appoint an expert to assess Mr Shaikh were all rejected. So, it's not very encouraging in fact that the Chinese courts were so dismissive of what appears to be at least a strong initial case.[29]

European Union statement: "The European Union condemns in the strongest terms the execution of Akmal Shaikh. It deeply regrets the fact that China has not heeded the repeated calls by the European Union and one of its member states for the death sentence passed against Mr Shaikh to be commuted."[29]

See also

References

  1. ^ New evidence emerges in the Akmal Shaikh case showing his illness; Reprieve makes new application to the Chinese authorities. Reprieve. December 29, 2009.
  2. ^ a b c d e Topping, Alexandra (29 December 2009). "Fury as China executes British drug smuggler". The Guardian. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |coauthor= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  3. ^ Akmal Shaikh: China warns Britain as row over executed Briton intensifies
  4. ^ a b "阿克毛被注射执行死刑". Xinhuanet. 29 December 2009. Retrieved 29 December 2009.
  5. ^ a b "Condemned Briton Akmal Shaikh 'not told execution date'". BBC News. 27 December 2009. Retrieved 28 December 2009.
  6. ^ a b c "Capital punishment in China". Guardian. 28 December 2009. Retrieved 29 December 2009.
  7. ^ a b Is it too late to save Briton Akmal Shaikh from death by Chinese firing squad?
  8. ^ a b "British man said to be mentally ill executed in China". BBC. 29th December 2009. Retrieved 29 December 2009. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  9. ^ "Akmal Shaikh: Briton executed by lethal injection in China – and his body will not be returned". Daily Mail. 29 December 2009. Retrieved 29 December 2009.
  10. ^ Briton wanted to create world peace with Come Little Rabbit song
  11. ^ a b "Cases – Akmal Shaikh". Reprieve (campaigning organisation). Retrieved 26 December 2009.
  12. ^ a b Pidd, Helen (28 December 2009). "Akmal Shaikh's harebrained business schemes and dreams of pop stardom". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 December 2009.
  13. ^ Dodd, Vikran (22 December 2009). "Family plead for life of mentally ill Briton facing execution in China". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 December 2009.
  14. ^ Dodd, Vikram (21 December 2009). "Briton's death sentence upheld by China's supreme court". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 December 2009.
  15. ^ "Akmal Shaikh told of execution for drug smuggling". BBC News. 28 December 2009. Retrieved 28 December 2009.
  16. ^ "U.N. official urges China not to execute Briton". CNN. 24 December 2009. Retrieved 26 December 2009.
  17. ^ Llewellyn, Gareth (21 October 2009). "Mentally ill Briton 'could be executed within days'". The Independent. Retrieved 26 December 2009.
  18. ^ China, show mercy to Akmal Shaikh
  19. ^ Batty, David (28 December 2009). "Family visit death row Briton in China". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 December 2009.
  20. ^ UN against death penalty but understands desire for justice in Hussein case - envoy
  21. ^ "Statement of the Spokesman of Chinese Embassy on the Case of Akmal Shaikh". Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the United Kingdom. 24 December 2009. Retrieved 26 December 2009.
  22. ^ Richardson, Ben (29 December 2009). "China's Supreme Court Approves Execution of Briton, Xinhua Says". Bloomberg. Retrieved 29 December 2009.
  23. ^ "Akmal Shaikh's harebrained business schemes and dreams of pop stardom". The Guardian. 29 December 2009. Retrieved 29 December 2009.
  24. ^ "China's Supreme Court Approves Death Sentence on the Case of Akmal Shaikh". Xinhua News. 29 December 2009. Retrieved 29 December 2009.
  25. ^ Garnaut, John (29 December 2009). "Briton executed by Chinese firing squad: official". The Sydney Morning Herald. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  26. ^ "Statement of the Chinese Embassy on the Case of Akmal Shaikh". Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the United Kingdom. 29 December 2009. Retrieved 29 December 2009.
  27. ^ "British drug smuggler executed". China Daily. 29 December 2009. Retrieved 29 December 2009.
  28. ^ . Xinhuanet http://news.xinhuanet.com/legal/2009-12/29/content_12721404.htm. Retrieved 29 December 2009. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  29. ^ a b c d e "China execution: International reaction". BBC News. 29 December 2009. Retrieved 29 December 2009.
  30. ^ "PM slams man's execution in China". Journal Live. 29 December 2009. Retrieved 29 December 2009.
  31. ^ "Akmal Shaikh: China refers to controversial Opium Wars with Britain". Telegraph. 29 December 2009. Retrieved 30 December 2009.

Template:Persondata

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Akmal_Shaikh&oldid=334895041"