Time may be running out for Akmal Shaikh a Briton convicted of drug smuggling in China. Indeed by the time many of you read this he may already have been executed. I have mixed views on the death penalty. That may seem strange to some and I accept it is. But all my experiences have taught me that all governments kill to some extent or another. As such I can see perhaps cynically the argument for a just authority passing the death penalty after an individual has been tried by a jury of his peers. I mean every day western governments kill in Afghanistan and the UK government hypocritically supports that whilst being against capital punishment. That said I certainly support the calls for Shaikh to be granted clemency. I can never condone the use of capital punishment against drug smugglers. Had Shaikh received a fair trial and been convicted of murder perhaps I would think differently but I'm not decided on capital punishment per se. However I really do not want the Chinese government to kill this man.
1 comment:
Thanks for your comment over at mine, Paul.
This was such a bad result. I sort of knew this would be the outcome but you hope, don't you?
Did you see today's Independent leader? I thought they nailed the argument and didn't have to resort to China-bashing.
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/leading-articles/leading-article-what-this-execution-doesnt-say-about-china-and-britain-1852836.html
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