Chinese execution

[Bri w]

A life was forcibly extinguished........


Two children have lost their father.......


You can come back at me with "he did it in a country that has the death penalty," or "just think of all the death he was carrying." "we shouldn't interfere with another country's judicial system," or "he wasn't really a head case."

Guilty, yes. Put him in prison for the rest of his life, and in a prison regime that is brutal - that's China's prison regime.

The semantics of the case, and where in the world, I'm not in the least bit interested in. If guilty, lock them up, and preferably a lot longer than we do in this country. But Govt sanctioned execution is MURDER with a different label on it.

Am I a wet liberal? No, I just disagree with the death penalty. I believe sentencing in general, in this country, is far far too weak.

I understand the point you`re making Bri but was this man thinking of his children when he risked his life by smuggling the heroin? was he thinking of his childrens future? as a drugs dealer and the manager of several "unscrupulous" businesses did he stop to consider that he was putting his children at risk?

I`m not saying it was right to execute him but he should have put his children first.

[yorkie_chris]

Better he's dead than in a Chinese nick, maybe that way his children will put their "loss" behind them and grow up to be people

Originally Posted by Milky Bar Kid

I think this guy has just ran outta luck, he has probably been doing it for sometime if he was trusted to carry such a large quantity of drugs. It takes a fair bit of networking before the bosses would have allowed him access to such a large quantity.

sorry mkb dont mean to **** on your chips but you dont know as much as you think especially in the drugs and supply department
as someone who has knowledge of multi million pound anti drug operations i can point to many cases where for example drugs have been put in innocent peoples belongings and then the stuff stolen on the other end to insulate the actual purpatrators, also mules genrally are "filled to the brim" with drugs for maxium return (the human body can carry over a million £ worth in one go) with addional stimulas of threats and intimataion of the persons friends and family, to ensure dilevery
sorry but this is only said to disprove your well intentioned but completely inacurate statement
dave

[Jayneflakes]

Originally Posted by yorkie_chris

Yet you see it as more important to defend the causers of misery in foreign lands than the freedoms we once enjoyed here?
Seems a bit cowardly to me.

Thank you for your comment, however I do have to defend myself from this comment. I can assure you that I have been engaged in the direct action against the use of drugs in both a school setting and as a member of a community. I have also campaigned for human rights in direct conflict with people who frankly do not see me as a human being. I am not a coward and I have the scars to prove it. However I do strongly believe that the Death Penalty is immoral. However I did state that the use of drugs removes freedom and quality of life for addicts.

The basis of freedom of choice and human rights is the right to do as the individual wishes. When the individual starts damaging the rights of other, that individual must be taken to task over this. While human beings will continue to exert control and have a lack of respect for each other, we will have to continue having courts and prisons, but to murder some one is still horribly wrong.

Another thing to look at is the poverty that is all over the world. Poverty can be linked to drug use and sadly that can also be linked to making poverty worse. I wish I had the answers as to how we as a community can make it better, but while we condone the murder of those we know are sick, damaged or anti social, we can not change them. Thus we cannot change society.

Poverty is a major issue in human rights and it is a world wide issue. OK, so one man was caught doing something stupid and immoral, but by condoning his death, we wash our hands of the other crimes against people in China. We can use him to raise the profile of human rights abuses. Maybe his life needed to be examined and the causes of why he did what he did needed to be found.

One other question though, who supplied him, who gave him the contacts and who made the drugs and who made the money from them. Surely catching them is the main concern? The drugs market is one of supply and demand, while there is a demand for them, there will be people who can supply. Again, you are looking at poverty , drugs make money for people who need it and see the risk as worth it.

This issue is so much bigger than just catching one simple man who had problems and tried to male excuses. The big picture is huge and the answers to the problems are still hidden. We live in a society and we need to be responsible for that society.

However, please do not imply that I do not do my part, I am trying just as hard as I can to make a difference both at home here in the UK and abroad. It is a common misconception that human right abuses only happen abroad, we have them here too in the UK.

Take care out there folks and spread some peace in the new year.

[Spiderman]

As an aside, i've put up a poll about the death penalty here http://forums.sv650.org/showthread.php?t=144555

Some of you all seem to be more and more sure as this thread has progressed that he was totally in control, was not duped, was not naive. But no one can really say how much his mental illness affected his judgement and actions - it may have done - it may not have done. Had he have had a proper psychiatric assessment (which from what I've read he was entitled to under Chinese Law but was denied) the question may have been answered.

As for the comments about what was he doing travelling on his own etc, well provided a mentally ill person isn't sectioned I would presume they are free to go where like and when they like - I don't think mental illness is a bar to travelling, is it?

Originally Posted by Jayneflakes

However, please do not imply that I do not do my part, I am trying just as hard as I can to make a difference both at home here in the UK and abroad. It is a common misconception that human right abuses only happen abroad, we have them here too in the UK.

Take care out there folks and spread some peace in the new year.

well this is my point so thanks for making it easier for me to put across
we can tell china what to do when we have sorted ourselves out untill then we have no rights to say anything to anyother country, which in essance makes this thread null and void wooohooo victory is mine lol

[Spiderman]

Originally Posted by davepreston

well this is my point so thanks for making it easier for me to put across
we can tell china what to do when we have sorted ourselves out untill then we have no rights to say anything to anyother country, which in essance makes this thread null and void wooohooo victory is mine lol

Well said, so w need to bring troops home, reinstate the previous govts of iraq and afghan and send tony blair to a war crimes tribunal for intentionally lying about WMD. Also we need to hold to account all the secret rendition flights that came or went from this country as well as allowing arms to be sold to israel for their "war" in gaza last year since we sold them weapons that were used against the geneva conventions.

Jeez we got a lot of work to do here aint we?

Originally Posted by ArtyLady

I don't think mental illness is a bar to travelling, is it?

Mental illness covers many things, from mild depression to full-on schitzophrenia and more.

No one would suggest that someone with mild depression shouldn't travel. However, the point that some are trying to make is that if he was as mentally ill as his supporters are saying, to the point where his sentance should be influenced, then he shouldn't have been travelling alone. Maybe a member of the family for support and guidance?