The fact that Akmal's seemingly obvious mental health issues were not taken into consideration (he wasn't even assessed by a doctor) by the Chinese authorities whilst on trial or before sentencing is criminal. Diplomatic pressure from Gordon brown seems to have just loaded the gun that shot him, there was no way that China would sway to any pressure from a European state where it's Justice system is involved. Especially from a country that doesn't take the mental state of it's own prisoners or detainees into account. The Mental health of detained children of failed asylum seekers is a crime that is occurring now and in this country. Perhaps our media could fill the Christmas news lull with this kind of story and force a change. It is stated that Akmal was suffering from Bi-polar disorder and not truly in control of his actions. The same could be said of Gary Mckinnon, the guy extradited from the UK to the USA charged with hacking into the Nasa computer systems looking for evidence of UFOs. Gary suffers from Aspergers Syndrome and was released to US custody despite medical evidence to say he could be suicidal if extradited.
The fact this man has been executed is shameful by the Chinese. Capital punishment is barbaric and international pressure should be applied to all countries who still use it, the USA included. However I won't be fooled by Brown or Camerons's false sense of injustice that they can just turn on and off when it suits them or the media. I have yet to see a comparison with this case and that of Mckinnon's in any of the pieces by the papers. Our prisons are full of people who should getting help for mental illness and we are allowing extraditions to countries that still have the death penalty, I find it hard to take any statements of outrage like this from our Government any more.
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