Australians Threaten Boycott Against Indonesia

[The Fyrdman]

OK, consider this: The burden is on the prosecution to prove the drugs were hers. They seek to do this by showing that the drugs were found amongst her luggage. It was then up to her to present a defense which 'casts a reasonable doubt' on whether the drugs were hers despite being found amongst her luggage. If she fails to do so, she's convicted.

However, what the court said was this: ""No one has proved that someone else owned that marijuana or has identified who was the one involved in putting that marijuana in the defendant's bag."

Whilst, as I've said, whilst it was incumbent upon the accused to cast a reasonable doubt upon the prosecution's case, it does not require her to identify the real culprit who planted the drugs in her luggage. All she had to do was to create a reasonable possibility that the drugs might have been planted by someone. That's why I think she might well have an appeal. We'll see how it goes. I think she's going to appeal for sure.

Incidentally, don't you think it was stupid of Judge Sirait to boast 'to have never acquitted a drug case in his career of 500-plus trials'? Not exactly the brightest cookie in the jar, ain't he?

I certainly hope she gets her appeal and can provide new evidence that does cast reasonable doubt upon the prosecutions case. However, from what I've seen, I don't think she has any so far.

Agreed, such a boast has nothing to do with supporting justice, rather to scare the population.

[tinybear]

It does more than that. It shows the man's a biased judge and not fit to be one.

[tman_ndsu08]

It doesn't bother me at all. She broke the law, she was found guilty and she was given a relatively light sentence, considering what they could have done. Maybe Australia can boycott and Indonesia can just execute her.

If they had any brains at all, they would've simply fined her and sent her home. Now they're going to end up spending far more money to keep her in prison for 20 years.

[tinybear]

Fine her? She's lucky she's not facing a firing squad.

[mr.perfecto]

OK, consider this: The burden is on the prosecution to prove the drugs were hers. They seek to do this by showing that the drugs were found amongst her luggage. It was then up to her to present a defense which 'casts a reasonable doubt' on whether the drugs were hers despite being found amongst her luggage. If she fails to do so, she's convicted.

However, what the court said was this: ""No one has proved that someone else owned that marijuana or has identified who was the one involved in putting that marijuana in the defendant's bag."

Whilst, as I've said, whilst it was incumbent upon the accused to cast a reasonable doubt upon the prosecution's case, it does not require her to identify the real culprit who planted the drugs in her luggage. All she had to do was to create a reasonable possibility that the drugs might have been planted by someone. That's why I think she might well have an appeal. We'll see how it goes. I think she's going to appeal for sure.

Incidentally, don't you think it was stupid of Judge Sirait to boast 'to have never acquitted a drug case in his career of 500-plus trials'? Not exactly the brightest cookie in the jar, ain't he?

Matlock always found the real criminal.

Not all countries share the same legal principles and theories. It sounds like it could be a setup, then again she could be a very accomplished liar. Did she get a fair trial? As long as it operated according to Indonesian law, yes.

If her appeal doesn't work out and if I were the Australian PM (assuming I weren't looking for a reason to invade Indonesia--you can't be too sure about the goals of government leaders these days), I'd look to find something I could convict her of and extradite her home to stand trial.

[mr.perfecto]

If they had any brains at all, they would've simply fined her and sent her home. Now they're going to end up spending far more money to keep her in prison for 20 years.

You can't fight a war (on drugs) without a little Shock 'n Awe.

[RVonse]

What a horror story. Their drug war is even stupider than ours (US).

If a customs agent planted something in your suitcase how would you be able to prove otherwise? And even if she was guilty, the punishment does not fit the crime in any way.

A story like this makes me wonder if I ever want to travel abroad. Just too risky.

[tinybear]

Just don't travel to Indonesia.

[tman_ndsu08]

Fine her? She's lucky she's not facing a firing squad.

My point was that Indonesia is going to take a loss by keeping her in prison when they simply could've fined her and gained the money from her fine.

Now, instead, they'll end up spending money out of their own pocket to pay for food and lodging for a non citizen for the next 20 years.

Makes no sense.

[tinybear]

They're appealing her sentence you know. The Indonesian High Court could still send her to the firing squad.

[tman_ndsu08]

And you're still missing the point entirely.

Although, I'll give you that a firing squad would initially be much more cost effective.

In the long run, however, I think they'd lose a lot of AUS tourists.

[tinybear]

You think? Bali's their favorite holiday destination. They won't stay away for long.