Originally posted by Imperial_Samura
For those who don't know this is a really big case in Australia right now. The girl in question went to Bali, drugs where discovered in her bags, about 4kg of cannabis, and she was arrested and for a time was facing the death penalty before the Bali legal system, in agreement with our government made it so she would only be facing a life sentence (20 years or more).However she claims she didn't do it, and there is a fare bit of evidence it could have be placed in her bag as part of a bigger drug smuggling ring that has recently come to light (popular strategy for the drug lords not to risk their own lives smuggling them, just plant them on some ignorant traveller). The problem a lot of people have is that despite reasonable doubt from the beginning the Balinese courts showed little interest in this and a lot of people claim just wanted a conviction, and ignored this other evidence.
As it is she has been found guilty today, and is going to serve 20 years in an Indonesian jail. Personally I don't know whether she is guilty or innocent, but I do think death, or 20 years is somewhat harsh for a first time offender, with a small amount of a non "hard" drug. A lot of people have also drawn parallels with the Bali bombings pointing out how the ring leader and a know terrorist is looking at 3 years (less now) while a drug conviction carries such a harsh penalty.
finally about 30 posts later someone is nice enough to clue us ignorant people into the story. thanks. The situation sounds hairy. It is hard to argue when the drugs were found on her person. Death is of course extreme. twenty years sounds about right. Unless there is iron clad evidence saying she is innocent she has to be reprimanded, but it sounds like she is more or less being portrayed as an example.