Excelent piece RT, I was waiting for the logical comparison of the complaint against China regarding the state of a convicted persons mental health, whilst at the same time Mckinnon's case was woefully inadequate in the consideration of both his state of mental health and the real nature of the offence. There is absolute hypocrisy in the whole politicised legal process at this time in the west. The world needs legal principles to function properly and needs to ditch these highly political western interferences in the Judicial processes of other countries and to ditch the politicisation of their own courts in the west to suit strategic political objectives. Mckinnon has now won the right to judicial review. I can only hope that a Judge can step up to the mark, shake off the political shackles being placed on the western Judiciary, and do the right thing. The effects of Mckinnon's mental condition have clearly not been adequately taken into account. It would be an even sadder day for Britain, when they do not at a core of their legal system consider the mental standing of a defendent. This has to always be within the perogative of the courts competence and Judicial oversight, based on supporting expert testimony. It is also plainly obvious that a true British system, if supporting what are purported to be british values, would follow the now entrenched concept of proportionality, extracting the true essence of this man's alleged crime and seeing clearly, against British norms and values, that the legal process beng applied in no way equals the damage or intention of the defendant. In deed the whole case is one of political spin, against a weak individual. The case is an embarassment to the US, to Britain and to international law. Political interference in law has to end in all jurisdictions, Britain should be trying to set an example, not collapsing further and further into a politicised legal mess Step up to the mark Britain, and deny this extradition!

Well old habits die slowly, its in the habit of the west to criticize the east.No matter what they do right or wrong. UK government is behaving like a bunch of uneducated fool in the case of Akmal Shaikh. Correct me if am wrong but what mental condition was not taken into consideration? The guy had Bipolar disorder. That does not impair his judgement on right or wrong.The condition simply makes him alternate between depression and mania.So next time am stopped for speeding I can use it as a defence " Sorry officer but I was just depressed" China did not take it into account cos it had no bearing on his action. I do not believe in the death sentence as you cannot bring back the innocent in a miscarriage of justice, but hey its their law.You don't like it,then don't risk taking drugs which may kill hundreds of their citizens into their country. In the case of the USA, well even the British politicians had criticized the disparity in the extradition treaty. We send them a truly mentally sick hacker who was looking for UFOs and they refuse to send us the cowboy pilots that killed our boys in Iraq.Its a shame that an ally has to find another ally's citizens guilty in absence as Italy did with the CIA agents,then again the US did refused to send over the troops that killed the Italian agents after they rescued their journalist in Iraq. My point is that Certain western countries still have the puppy dog and master attitude with the US. Certain countries like the UK are doing nothing to break away from it unlike the Germans, french and the Italians. UK will never dare to criticize the US in anything.How many britons are on the death row in the USA? including a 50 year old grandmother Linda Carty

Kudos to you! I hadn't thguoht of that!