British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said in a statement that he is “appalled and disappointed that our persistent requests for clemency have not been granted,” expressing his “sincere condolences” to Shaikh’s family and friends.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said at a news briefing that the Chinese government is “strongly dissastisfied and is absolutely opposed to the unjustifiable condemnations” from the UK, adding, “We urge the British side to show respect to China’s judicial supremacy and redress the mistake immediately to avoid damaging bilateral relations.”
According to the Associated Press, cousins of Shaikh visited him Monday—his first direct family contact in two years—and said they felt he was not rational and needed medication. They said he was lured to China by men who promised to help him launch a career in pop music.
Akmal Shaikh was 53-years old and a father of three. Before his arrest, he was a small-business owner from London.
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