UK doctor "murdered" in Syrian jail
- 10 years ago
This British surgeon Abbas Khan travelled to Syria last November after he volunteered as an emergency doctor.
Within 48 hours of arriving he was arrested.
He died just days before his expected release from jail.
Foreign Office Minister Hugh Robertson said he was "in effect" murdered by the Syrian authorities.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) BRITISH FOREIGN OFFICE MINISTER, HUGH ROBERTSON, SAYING:
"The fact is that he went to Syria to help the people of Syria who were affected by the civil war. There is no excuse whatsoever for the treatment that he has suffered by the Syrian authorities, who have in effect murdered a British national."
But Khan's brother has accused the Foreign Office of not doing enough to help secure his release.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) BROTHER OF ABBAS KHAN, SHAHNAWAZ KHAN, SAYING:
"We don't hold them liable, obviously, but a certain degree of responsibility lays at their door for not offering any assistance to us and there were m
Within 48 hours of arriving he was arrested.
He died just days before his expected release from jail.
Foreign Office Minister Hugh Robertson said he was "in effect" murdered by the Syrian authorities.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) BRITISH FOREIGN OFFICE MINISTER, HUGH ROBERTSON, SAYING:
"The fact is that he went to Syria to help the people of Syria who were affected by the civil war. There is no excuse whatsoever for the treatment that he has suffered by the Syrian authorities, who have in effect murdered a British national."
But Khan's brother has accused the Foreign Office of not doing enough to help secure his release.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) BROTHER OF ABBAS KHAN, SHAHNAWAZ KHAN, SAYING:
"We don't hold them liable, obviously, but a certain degree of responsibility lays at their door for not offering any assistance to us and there were m