Mr Straw's most recent intervention was on 30 January when he contacted the chairman of the Texas Board of Pardons and Parole to urge them to commute the death sentence to a prison term and reiterate Britain's opposition to capital punishment.

BBC: Time running out for death row Briton

India's Supreme Court has rejected a petition by a death row prisoner to commute his sentence to life in jail.

BBC: India court rejects plea to commute death penalty