China executes suspected mentally ill Briton.

news.bbc.co.uk...

A British man convicted of drug smuggling in China has been executed, the Foreign Office has confirmed.

Akmal Shaikh, 53, of London, had denied any wrongdoing and his family said he was mentally ill.

The execution took place despite repeated calls from his family and the British government for clemency.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said he was appalled and condemned the execution "in the strongest terms".

Mr Shaikh is the first EU national to be executed in China in 50 years

Being honest i don't even know what this proves anymore?

This is just sad.

news.bbc.co.uk...

ust before the execution deadline Mr Shaikh's two cousins, who visited him on Monday, issued a statement at Beijing Airport repeating calls for leniency because of his mental state.

But at the same time an official statement from the Xinhua news agency reiterated China's Supreme Court ruling that the evidence that Mr Shaikh suffers from mental illness was "insufficient".

Mr Shaikh's family say he suffers from bipolar disorder and was duped into carrying a suitcase containing 4kg of heroin for a criminal gang in 2007.

Apparantly he was lured into smuggling drugs under the pretense of becoming a 'famous singer'.

Well regardless of how you feel about the death penalty, I am SICK and tired of this mentally ill crap defense.

How is it a grown man, or woman can claim to be mentally ill, YET have the presence of mind to set up ellaborate drug running rings with multiple players, plan out murders down to the last detail, etc... I hear this defense a lot, but its funny how mnetally ill people only claim such AFTER their caught...again, how it must be to have the MIND to know you did wrong AFTER the fact...hmmmmmmm

As for this guys case...I am NOT buying his defense. It's called the GOT CAUGHT, think of something quick defense.

[edit on 12/28/2009 by rcwj1975]

what's the big deal??? this is a great way to reduce the overpopulation in our jails. dump the illegals back where they came from, and kill all drug smugglers.

i mean we kill off perfectly healthy dogs at shelters if no one claims them. and these poor dogs are worth way more than these scum of the earth people.

Originally posted by mr-lizard
Akmal Shaikh, 53, of London, had denied any wrongdoing and his family said he was mentally ill.

One could say anyone trying to smuggle drugs, especially when there is the death penalty for it is mentally ill.

No offence to anyone, but years ago us Aussies will remember a "high flying entrepeneur" named Alan Bond, who embezzled millions & stashed it somewhere in his old wife & new wife's names. When he was sent off to jail, he suddenly became "mentally ill" & unable to appear in court. When we finally did see him, it was an Academy Award winning performance! We laughed, & he became a joke, his every appearance, looking like a man who had had a stroke, or simmilar.

Well, as soon as the case was over, whatdya know? Instant cure!! Yep, it came as no suprise to most of us, & we'd been there before with another embezzling entrepaneur who's name was Christopher Skase. Any Aussies remember these guys?

Anyway, bottom line is that why is it that people who get caught overseas for deat-sentence crimes, always have to pull the "mental illness card"? Its appalling, & personally I believe that if you go to a country, you better damn well respect their laws, because if you don't & you get caught, you're screwed!

( We have Schapelle Corby & the Bali 9 in jail in Bali for doing just that, & they don't get my sympathy either ).

Sorry, but I just wanted to say my piece, & hope nobody was offended in the process. I'm just tired of people using a legitimate disease as an excuse for when they get caught "screwing up".

Originally posted by rcwj1975
Well regardless of how you feel about the death penalty, I am SICK and tired of this mentally ill crap defense.

How is it a grown man, or woman can claim to be mentally ill, YET have the presence of mind to set up ellaborate drug running rings with multiple players, plan out murders down to the last detail, etc... I hear this defense a lot, but its funny how mnetally ill people only claim such AFTER their caught...again, how it must be to have the MIND to know you did wrong AFTER the fact...hmmmmmmm

As for this guys case...I am NOT buying his defense. It's called the GOT CAUGHT, think of something quick defense.

So in your black and white world, everybody is mentally stable then?

I suggest you go and educate yourself on the varieties of mental illnesses that plague the human mind, and try and avoid your cartoon-esque imagery of mental people somehow being incapable of thought.

Originally posted by SpinifexPrincess
No offence to anyone, but years ago us Aussies will remember a "high flying entrepeneur" named Alan Bond, who embezzled millions & stashed it somewhere in his old wife & new wife's names. When he was sent off to jail, he suddenly became "mentally ill" & unable to appear in court. When we finally did see him, it was an Academy Award winning performance! We laughed, & he became a joke, his every appearance, looking like a man who had had a stroke, or simmilar.

So because Alan Bond was faking it, this man deserved to die then?

Originally posted by mr-lizard
So in your black and white world, everybody is mentally stable then?

I suggest you go and educate yourself on the varieties of mental illnesses that plague the human mind, and try and avoid your cartoon-esque imagery of mental people somehow being incapable of thought.

Uh no, but those with REAL and TRUE mental illness don't know it...they grow up with it, ot atleast have a set behavior or show consistancy. These jackoffs commit crimes that take CLEAR THINKING MINDS, then get caught, and all of a sudden they are mentally ill. True mentally ill people wouldn't even know to get a lawyer, they would need others to do all of it for them because..THEY ARE MENTALLY ILL and have no idea whats going on.

Originally posted by rcwj1975

Originally posted by mr-lizard
So in your black and white world, everybody is mentally stable then?

I suggest you go and educate yourself on the varieties of mental illnesses that plague the human mind, and try and avoid your cartoon-esque imagery of mental people somehow being incapable of thought.

Uh no, but those with REAL and TRUE mental illness don't know it...they grow up with it, ot atleast have a set behavior or show consistancy.

My mother works with mentally ill people on a daily basis, please don't spout such rubbish. Some of her clients are very much aware and others aren't.

These jackoffs commit crimes that take CLEAR THINKING MINDS, then get caught, and all of a sudden they are mentally ill.

I agree to an extent, but you just cannot tar everyone with the same brush, it's insulting to the people who do suffer.

Have you never heard of psychosis, or catatonia or schizophrenia.. three completely different conditions? All affect the mind in a completely different way.

reply to post by mr-lizard


I am not painting them all. I agree 100% there are some people who have real issues that behave in ways we may never understand. But if you look at a majority of crimes committed by those who used the "metnally ill at the time of the incident" is BS! Look at the complexity of many of the crimes, then listen to the accused. Its usually a shame. They (the criminals) now know MOST of society will buy into anything that makes them feel sorry for someone regardless of their crime..sooooo why not play it up and into the hands that will save you?

What is sick are those who use "mentally ill" as a defense and beat the system, when there ARE those who truly are sick/ill that need compasion. Kinda like a rape victim that ends up being a liar. The real ones suffer...



[edit on 12/28/2009 by rcwj1975]

Question:
Were these smuggled drugs Made In China?
It's probably not even about the drugs because somewhere in China there are some fresh Brit organs going for three times the black market value.
Some of these might even make the list of a Chinese menu.

Originally posted by mr-lizard

Originally posted by rcwj1975
Well regardless of how you feel about the death penalty, I am SICK and tired of this mentally ill crap defense.

How is it a grown man, or woman can claim to be mentally ill, YET have the presence of mind to set up ellaborate drug running rings with multiple players, plan out murders down to the last detail, etc... I hear this defense a lot, but its funny how mnetally ill people only claim such AFTER their caught...again, how it must be to have the MIND to know you did wrong AFTER the fact...hmmmmmmm

As for this guys case...I am NOT buying his defense. It's called the GOT CAUGHT, think of something quick defense.

Hundreds of people are out to death all over the world every year for drug smuggling and you have never ever made a post about it - why now - oh because this time the perpetrator is British, is white, is Anglo and has put forward a defense of mental instability - PLEASE - are you fcking kidding me.

Why don't you show some integrity and honesty about the issue and fess up that you are appalled that a foreign country is allowed to apply its own laws to your own kind - that your own people are subject to the laws of foreign countries - fess up that you are appalled that you find it abhorrent that you are merely an equal to other nations and not above and beyond the barbarous laws of foreign nations.

There is simply nothing quite as vile as cultural arrogance - quite grotesque. Especially from a nation such as England with the worst track record of any nation in the modern world - seriously get a grip.

Quite ironic really when you consider the historical perspective of the UK enforcing the heroin trade upon China and killing literally millions of people through enforced drug addiction in order to maintain the balance of trade payments through the spice and tea trade - do you know what irony is ?

Hong Kong was one big drug payment to the UK.

But please, don't let me interrupt your moral indignation - perhaps you could some up something about the Indians and their use of salt or cotton mills to assuage your guilt over the genocide of millions and millions of Indians over the course of 400 years int eh most abhorrent forced slavery of an entire subcontinent - how dare they use salt.....

So in your black and white world, everybody is mentally stable then?

I suggest you go and educate yourself on the varieties of mental illnesses that plague the human mind, and try and avoid your cartoon-esque imagery of mental people somehow being incapable of thought.

The difference between mentally ill and stupid (IMO).

Stupid - Lacking the right amount of intelligence to be smashed by societies rules.

Mentally ill - lacking the proper skills needed to survive in a normal society, yet giving amnesty because you are far more screwed up than the average idiot.

You can be stupid or mentally ill, but there are laws and the world runs on some very basic rules such as survival of the fit.

Originally posted by f4rwest
what's the big deal??? this is a great way to reduce the overpopulation in our jails. dump the illegals back where they came from, and kill all drug smugglers.

i mean we kill off perfectly healthy dogs at shelters if no one claims them. and these poor dogs are worth way more than these scum of the earth people.

*snip*

the death penalty is NOT about the victim. it's about revenge.

Mod Edit: Removed personal attack.

[edit on 12/29/2009 by seagull]

reply to post by mr-lizard


Very sad, although not surprising as we saw how the Chinese Communist Party deals with some of their own people - recently the 1000's of Uighurs who were silenced overnight for daring to protest.

This man wasn't even a threat to them, and they still executed him. Aside from the world's new superpower not wanting to appear weak to back down to a western country's requests to allow a doctor to examine him first, there's likely a larger political link to British media & politicians accusing China of wrecking the climate deal.

And from what I've read of China's pathetic attempts to stall at every avenue, that along with India as well, China may have condemned many more of their people by around 2025 to death because of melting glacier ice no longer available as a consistent supply of fresh water to drink.

[edit on 28-12-2009 by john124]

Originally posted by audas

Hundreds of people are out to death all over the world every year for drug smuggling and you have never ever made a post about it - why now - oh because this time the perpetrator is British, is white, is Anglo and has put forward a defense of mental instability - PLEASE - are you fcking kidding me.

I'm sure i've mentioned plenty of times that i disagree with the death penalty, especially in the case of drug smuggling. ESPECIALLY when he could have been forced into it by someone exploiting his condition.

And for your information, Akmal Shaikh is NOT white, or Anglo but he is British. Please at least check your info BEFORE you pipe your nonsense in my direction.

Why don't you show some integrity and honesty about the issue and fess up that you are appalled that a foreign country is allowed to apply its own laws to your own kind - that your own people are subject to the laws of foreign countries - fess up that you are appalled that you find it abhorrent that you are merely an equal to other nations and not above and beyond the barbarous laws of foreign nations.

I'll leave that to you, as that seems to be your opinion. My opinion still stands whether you wish to put your own words in my mouth or not.

There is simply nothing quite as vile as cultural arrogance - quite grotesque. Especially from a nation such as England with the worst track record of any nation in the modern world - seriously get a grip.

You are the arrogant one my friend, i'm simply putting my opinion across. If it was the UK threatening to the execute a chinese guy, i would still hold the same opinion. I can look beyond colour and ethnicity when i'm more apalled that any country can execute a man over the distribution of chemicals.

Please, your angry words do little to back up your ideas, i think it is you who may need to get a grip (you can tie it in with getting your facts right).

Quite ironic really when you consider the historical perspective of the UK enforcing the heroin trade upon China and killing literally millions of people through enforced drug addiction in order to maintain the balance of trade payments through the spice and tea trade - do you know what irony is ?

Very ironic. You can say the same about the US and Afghan.

But please, don't let me interrupt your moral indignation - perhaps you could some up something about the Indians and their use of salt or cotton mills to assuage your guilt over the genocide of millions and millions of Indians over the course of 400 years int eh most abhorrent forced slavery of an entire subcontinent - how dare they use salt.....

I have no guilt over the deaths of anybody, but thanks for considering my moral foundations. Despite what you may or not believe i have never been responsible for anybodys death, indian, chinese or anybody else.

I also don't appreciate your semi-patronising tone, it irks me to think i could be so shallow. Thankfully i'm not. But please, if you have any other false ideas of how i think or maybe you have some other absurd notions, do feel free to bore me with them again.

Originally posted by f4rwest
what's the big deal??? this is a great way to reduce the overpopulation in our jails. dump the illegals back where they came from, and kill all drug smugglers.

i mean we kill off perfectly healthy dogs at shelters if no one claims them. and these poor dogs are worth way more than these scum of the earth people.

Why not just decriminalize drugs altogether? Hmmm..... ever thought of that. Murdering anyone, and capital punishment is worse than first degree murder, as it takes people who don't even know you, don't have a motive to kill you, its not done in normal emotion, reaction, or truama, (at least that has some kind of understanding.).. Its heartless, emotionless and obsene.

Try love, try thinking of everyone as your little baby, because everyone is ONE, and everyone is your child, brother, mother and father, and everyone, even the worst criminal on earth, needs to be healed, forgiven and understood, and if dangerous and repeatably so, removed from society.

There is no reason for anything else ever.

And most of the laws we have, are criminal, treason, agaisnt soveriengity.

China is not an example of a legal system we want, nor does Texas have one either, handing out 180 sentences, for things that regarded property damage, or tax evasion.
Who cares, there shouldnt be money to begin with.

Just let all the prisoners go and only keep rapists and murders for counciling purposes.

This is ridiculous. Killing somebody for drugs is appalling! I mean it's drugs for Pete's sake! Man that country is really F'd up. And frankly so are all of you people who think this is ok or even a good idea!? God I can't even believe that you are the same species as me. Makes me ashamed to be a human! Drugs in general should be a mental health issue not a criminal issue.

Originally posted by Donnie Darko
the death penalty is NOT about the victim. it's about revenge.

It is also to stop them committing any more drug dealing