THE cousin of a man executed in China has vowed to continue her fight for justice, one week on from his high-profile death.
Seema Khan, of Bracken Drive in Chigwell, spoke to the Guardian following the execution of her beloved relation Akmal Shaikh, 53, after he was caught with 4kg of heroin in the remote north western Chinese city of Urumqi.
Mum-of-three Mrs Khan, 54, grew up with Mr Shaikh in their extended family home in Tufnell Park and campaigned vigorously against his sentence.
She said: “The last week has just been terrible. Right up until the last minute I had faith that he would not be killed.
“When I found out I just couldn't believe it. And then when it sunk in I kept thinking perhaps there was more I could have done, or if I'd gone to China it would've made a difference.”
But unable to make the journey because of a severe lung infection, Mrs Khan was left agonisingly at her home in Chigwell.
The Chinese authorities said that Akmal was found with enough drugs to kill 26,800 people, and that they had received no evidence to suggest he was mentally ill.
But the family said the Chinese refused to accept evidence of his bipolar disorder.
Mrs Khan said: “The drug dealers took advantage of him. They put him on the plane to China and said there was only one seat available and that they would meet him at the other end. The real criminals are still at large.
“Even though the Chinese in their legislation do treat unwell people differently they chose to ignore that. I think they used him to make a political point and they had already made up their minds to execute him long ago.”
The family are now calling on the British Government to demand a formal inquest in order to uncover the unanswered questions surrounding his death, and have vowed to step up a trust fund in his memory to help others caught up in the Chinese legal system.
Mrs Khan said: “If the issue is highlighted we feel that his death was not in vain. There are so many things going on there that need to be highlighted.”
She added: “He was a brother to me. We used to go on holidays to Surrey and spend the summer swimming and cycling and having adventures. That is how I want to remember him.”
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