UK grandmother sentenced to death over drugs
Source: Agencies |
January 23, 2013, Wednesday
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AN Indonesian court sentenced a British grandmother to death yesterday for smuggling cocaine worth US$2.5 million in her suitcase onto the resort island of Bali - even though prosecutors had sought only a 15-year sentence.
Lindsay June Sandiford, 56, wept when judges handed down the sentence and declined to speak to reporters on her way back to prison, covering her face with a floral scarf. She claimed in court that she was forced to take the drugs into the country by a gang that was threatening to hurt her children.
Indonesia is very strict on drug crimes, and most of the more than 40 foreigners on its death row were convicted of drug charges.
Sandiford's lawyer said she would appeal, a process that can take several years. Condemned criminals face a firing squad in Indonesia, which has not carried out an execution since 2008, when 10 people were put to death.
A verdict is expected in the trial of Sandiford's alleged accomplice Briton Julian Anthony Pounder next Tuesday. He is accused of receiving the drugs in Bali, which has a busy bar and nightclub scene where party drugs such as cocaine and Ecstasy are bought and sold between foreigners.
Two other UK citizens and an Indian have already been convicted and sentenced to prison in connection with the bust.
The British Embassy said in a statement that it was in contact with London to discuss the next step in providing legal assistance to Sandiford. It said the United Kingdom "remains strongly opposed to the death penalty in all circumstances."
Martin Horwood, a member of Parliament representing Sandiford's Cheltenham constituency in western England, called the sentence a shock and said he would raise the case with Foreign Secretary William Hague.
Harriet McCulloch of human rights charity Reprieve, which is assisting Sandiford, urged the British government to support her appeal.
"Lindsay has always maintained that she only agreed to carry the package to Bali after receiving threats against the lives of her family," McCulloch said. "She is clearly not a drug kingpin. She has no money to pay for a lawyer, for the travel costs of defense witnesses or even for essentials like food and water."
In its verdict, a panel judges concluded that Sandiford had damaged the image of Bali as a tourism destination and weakened the government's drug prevention program. "We found no reason to lighten her sentence," said Amser Simanjuntak, who headed the judicial panel.
Lindsay June Sandiford, 56, wept when judges handed down the sentence and declined to speak to reporters on her way back to prison, covering her face with a floral scarf. She claimed in court that she was forced to take the drugs into the country by a gang that was threatening to hurt her children.
Indonesia is very strict on drug crimes, and most of the more than 40 foreigners on its death row were convicted of drug charges.
Sandiford's lawyer said she would appeal, a process that can take several years. Condemned criminals face a firing squad in Indonesia, which has not carried out an execution since 2008, when 10 people were put to death.
A verdict is expected in the trial of Sandiford's alleged accomplice Briton Julian Anthony Pounder next Tuesday. He is accused of receiving the drugs in Bali, which has a busy bar and nightclub scene where party drugs such as cocaine and Ecstasy are bought and sold between foreigners.
Two other UK citizens and an Indian have already been convicted and sentenced to prison in connection with the bust.
The British Embassy said in a statement that it was in contact with London to discuss the next step in providing legal assistance to Sandiford. It said the United Kingdom "remains strongly opposed to the death penalty in all circumstances."
Martin Horwood, a member of Parliament representing Sandiford's Cheltenham constituency in western England, called the sentence a shock and said he would raise the case with Foreign Secretary William Hague.
Harriet McCulloch of human rights charity Reprieve, which is assisting Sandiford, urged the British government to support her appeal.
"Lindsay has always maintained that she only agreed to carry the package to Bali after receiving threats against the lives of her family," McCulloch said. "She is clearly not a drug kingpin. She has no money to pay for a lawyer, for the travel costs of defense witnesses or even for essentials like food and water."
In its verdict, a panel judges concluded that Sandiford had damaged the image of Bali as a tourism destination and weakened the government's drug prevention program. "We found no reason to lighten her sentence," said Amser Simanjuntak, who headed the judicial panel.
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