At the time of her arrest, Corby said that the drugs were planted in her body board bag and that she didn't know about them. Her trial was a major focus of attention for the Australian media.
The District Court of Denpasar, Bali, found her guilty on 27 May 2005 and sentenced her to twenty years in Jail and Fined her Rp 100 Million with an additional six months in Jail if unpaid.
On October 2005, the Bali High Court reduced the Sentence to 15 years, but the Supreme Court overturned the 5 years sentence reduction and re-instated the 20-years Prison term on 19 January 2006.On August 2006, Corby and her lawyers requested for an extraordinary appeal with the Supreme Court but was rejected on March 2008.
In 2010, Corby and her lawyers made a Clemency Appeal for full remission on Humanitarian grounds to President SBY, and on May 2012 she was granted a five-year reduction of the sentence.
The granting of Sentence Reduction to a Illegal Drugs Smuggler like Schapelle Corby was strongly protested by the public (click here) because it shows the government's failure to implement its own policy to stop giving remission to Illegal Drug dealers.
Besides, it shows that the government is not serious in eradicating Illegal Drugs problems in Indonesia, and that it is weak in facing pressures from Australian government.
Photo: Courtesy of 3 News
10 comments:
Reading this post I have a dilemma.
I guess according to Indonesian law 20 years imprisonment for smuggling over 4 kilo Marijuana is normal. She hardly can claim it was for personal use :). The least you can say mrs Corby gambled with her freedom. It's pretty stupid to carry that kind of stuff on you when you travel abroad. No reason for clemency.
So I have to agree with you.
On the other hand, what ghosts are the Indonesian authorities chasing, for heavens sake. Marijuana, come on! Aren't Kretek cigarettes the real villains? (^_-)Not to mention the major flaw in the public area, corruption ( what corruption criminal has been sentenced to 20 years for stealing billions from the people, by the way?).
On top of that deals between countries about each other's nationals in foreign jails, are quite common. Of course for that there has to be a relevant treaty between those countries.
Apart from that it is common practice all over world ministers or heads of state use their discretionary powers to pardon a convict for a wide range of reasons, one being the interest of foreign relations.
@Colson,
I agree that top government officials
have discretionary powers, and the president has to right pardon convicts, for the good sake of the country.
I also agree that there are other cases such as corruption in which those found guilty only sentenced to only few years.
However, unlike in Holland. Marijuana is illegal here, the law allow the court to punish traders with death sentence.
As I have stated in other blogs, people who never have members of family or friends who are addicted to drugs would never understand that those family and friends are also victimized by the drug addiction. Why? because an addict would do anything i.e. steal, hurt and killing, to fulfill their craving for drugs.
Many of the crimes here are done by those people using drugs.
@ Harry: I totally agree with you about the tragedy of drug addiction. So for the sake of public health (and of public order like you mentioned) I can understand why hard drugs (heroine, crack etc) are off limits.
But the danger of addiction to marijuana is as small as is the danger of obesity ( addiction to food). It can't be ruled out, but it is well within the chances of a normal life.
Death penalties for possession of marijuana is in my opinion therefore way, way over the top.
Yet of course whatever we may think of the laws on soft drugs in any country, we should respect them while visiting them.
Hi Harry, It seems that the drug issue here is very confusing as the message is not clear as to what will happen. Drugs are drugs and anyone caught with them should face the full strength of the law but if the full strength of the law is death then it should be implemented. However, with most things Indonesian, nothing is quite what it seems I am sure
@Colson,
I understand why you considered the danger of illegal drugs addiction is as small as obesity because your country Holland doesn't consider Marijuana illegal.
I agree that foreigners should respect the laws of the country they visit.
@Luke,
The Anti Drugs law here actually very strong in eradicating illegal trades and use of drugs i.e. by allowing death sentence.
Unfortunately, enforcement of the law is quite weak.
Thanks hopefully useful information
Apa pantas yah menghukum mati WNA di negeri kita atas kasus narkoba? Sebaiknya serahkan saja pada negara asalnya.
@Obat Herbal,
Orang asing tsb melanggar hukum kita maka dia dihukum menurut hukum kita.
thanks gan informasinya :)
nice post,.,.,.,
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