China Scheduled to Execute Mentally Unstable Briton

On one side of a debate between Chinese and British officials is the belief that Akmal Shaikh is a drug smuggler of the worst sort who must be executed. In fact, China is set to do just that this morning. On the other side, British diplomats, officials and family members of Shaikh say that the 53-year-old is mentally unstable and was preyed upon by unscrupulous criminals. Shaikh apparently learned of his death sentence yesterday morning from cousins who came to visit him and make a plea for his life.

Ivan Lewis, a British Foreign Office minister who met with the Chinese ambassador in London yesterday, noted, "I believe we have done everything we possibly can. We urge at this very late stage the Chinese government to do the right thing." Gareth Saunders, a Brit living in Poland, knew Shaikh when the latter was living on the streets of Warsaw. Saunders described Shaikh as exhibited "exaggerated positivism" and noted that the man wanted to record a song called "Come Little Rabbit" to foster world peace.

Said Saunders, "He thought he had a gift with his voice, but it was clear to anyone listening he had no sense of timing, nothing." Apparently, it was Shaikh’s desire to sing that caused his problems. A group lobbying for his release has argued that he was tricked into trafficking drugs by a group who claimed they would help him record a single and attain worldwide fame. Of that alleged promise, Saunders said, "He would’ve believed that for sure, about having a big hit in China."