Inquest plea from executed Briton's family

The family of executed Briton Akmal Shaikh today called for the Government to order an immediate inquest into his death in China.

Mr Shaikh, 53, was convicted of heroin smuggling in China and executed by lethal injection last week despite pleas for clemency from human rights campaigners and the Government.

His family have today written to Foreign Secretary David Miliband urging him to call for an inquest to be held into his death.

Mr Shaikh's brother Akbar, wrote: "My family is suffering incredible grief and torment over the many unanswered questions surrounding Akmal's death.

"We have begged the Chinese for answers but none have been forthcoming.

"All this uncertainty is just too much for the family to bear.

"We therefore implore you to direct a coroner's inquest so that some of our questions can be answered, and the terrible mysteries surrounding my brother's apparent death, 7000 miles from his family and all alone, can be resolved for us."