Briton on Indonesia death row fears execution soon
Agence France-Presse
JAKARTA

JAKARTA: -- A British grandmother on death row in Indonesia for smuggling drugs has condemned the "senseless, brutal" execution of two Australians, and reportedly fears she could be next in line for the firing squad.

Australian drug traffickers Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran were executed by firing squad Wednesday, along with five other foreigners and one Indonesian, despite a storm of international criticism and pleas from relatives.

Briton Lindsay Sandiford, who was in the same jail as the Australians on the resort island of Bali after being sentenced to death in 2013, said the pair were "reformed men -- good men who transformed the lives of people around them".

"Their senseless, brutal deaths leave the world a poorer place," she said in a statement given to AFP Thursday via her lawyer Craig Tuck.

The BBC quoted the lawyer as saying that Sandiford fears she could be next in line to be executed, as Indonesian President Joko Widodo mounts a campaign against what he says is a national emergency caused by rising drugs use.

Sandiford -- who was caught trying to smuggle a huge stash of cocaine into Bali --referred to Chan as "my dear friend".

"He counselled and helped me through exceptionally difficult times after I was sentenced to death in 2013."

She added the Australians, ringleaders of the so-called "Bali Nine" drug-smuggling gang, used their time in Bali’s Kerobokan jail "to make life better for everyone around them".

"They introduced the concept of rehabilitation to a prison that never had it before. They organised painting classes, cookery classes and computer classes, and gave practical help to make sure the poorest prisoners had food, clothing and essentials."

The pair ensured that sick inmates had access to health care and hospital services which were not covered by the prison budget, she said.

Sandiford claims she was coerced into trafficking, and her family recently launched a fundraising drive to raise the money needed to lodge an appeal at the Indonesian Supreme Court, after the British government refused to fund her legal fight.

New Zealand lawyer Tuck, who is leading an international pro bono legal team representing Sandiford, says the money is needed to retain Indonesian lawyers who can fight her case.

If this challenge fails, Sandiford still has the opportunity to appeal for clemency from Widodo.

The convicts executed Wednesday recently had their mercy pleas rejected by the president, and Jakarta has repeatedly insisted his decision is final.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/Briton-on-Indonesia-death-row-fears-execution-soon-30259086.html


-- The Nation 2015-04-30

Hmmm drug dealer and trafficker feel sympathy na ....Hope the wait won't be too long for her to meet the firing squad !

"Their senseless, brutal deaths leave the world a poorer place," she said in a statement given to AFP Thursday via her lawyer Craig Tuck.

Oh how I wish he would use the very same words to describes the criminal and inhuman acts of all

drug smugglers and drug dealers all over the world pointing at his very own client....

Edited April 30, 201511 yr by ezzra

I don't agree with the death penalty for drug offenses, but when you enter a foreign country, you agree to be subject to their laws and legal system. Chan deserved the most severe punishment that could be meted out by the Indonesian courts. He was the mastermind behind a large drug syndicate and was under watch in Indonesia when he was finally arrested. I hope one day they catch the Thai woman who sold the large batch of heroin to him.

Sad as it is, she knew what she was doing.... unfortunately got caught...

so now paying the price.... with her LIFE...

Maybe if she had worried more about the death penalty before she smuggled the coke in she wouldn't have to worry about it now.

I have no sympathy or whatesoever with any one on deathrow in Indonesia.

I do. Sometimes people make huge mistakes. Sometimes people deserve a second chance.

An unrepentant serail killer or serial child molestor would find little sympathy with me, but there are other things which are in my own opinion, just terrible terrible choices that people make, for which they don't deserve to die.

But most people are quite happy to see the world in black and white.

I do. Sometimes people make huge mistakes. Sometimes people deserve a second chance.

This woman wasn't smuggling in a couple of joints she was a serious player.

An unrepentant serail killer or serial child molestor would find little sympathy with me, but there are other things which are in my own opinion, just terrible terrible choices that people make, for which they don't deserve to die.

But most people are quite happy to see the world in black and white.

So a repentant serial killer is ok?

You do the crime - you do the time.

Let us not forgot drugs cause misery.

These "smugglers" were adding to misery of less fortunate people.

These "smugglers" were smuggling for personal greed.

Although barbaric to kill them by firing squad, these death sentences will deter others not to smuggle .

You do the crime - you do the time.

Not sure that the saying works in this case. After all, the prisoner is not asking for less prison time. In fact, what she is asking for is more time in prison, alive.

I can't see that the crime in any merits the death penalty.

It leaves more questions unanswered than answered.

An unrepentant serail killer or serial child molestor would find little sympathy with me, but there are other things which are in my own opinion, just terrible terrible choices that people make, for which they don't deserve to die.

But most people are quite happy to see the world in black and white.

The signs warning against it are in black and white.

Well, let's see if the Indonesians have 'the bottle' for shooting a British granny. I very much doubt it. They caved at the thought of killing the mother in the last 'batch' with 5 minutes notice as they started to understand the almost universal condemnation ( bar the usual 'hang 'em high' mob). Now having a strong second look at the French guy..and rightly so.

They have made their point, misguided and vicious as it was, and now they will want to retreat from this lunacy before they become a complete pariah state

How many drug users have been held down and beaten into submission until they are addicts???......killing people via Indonesia is a disgusting ordeal....kinda like a bunch of serial rapists sent to judge a beauty contest....people make mistakes its human nature. This last round of murder was to boost political clout...no more no less.

Wouldnt surprise me in the least if Pig nosed Prayseto has been paid to help crumble Joko dogos administration....<deleted>;;Indo

goodnight granny i will not be grieving

You do the crime - you do the time.

Not sure that the saying works in this case. After all, the prisoner is not asking for less prison time. In fact, what she is asking for is more time in prison, alive.

At whose expense?

I notice she said the guy helped her through a tough period just after she had been sentenced.

I just hope it wasn't...."Don't worry love you'll be OK, I've been here for years and they haven't executed me".

Tragic, if true.

You do the crime - you do the time.

In this case "you do the crime you lose your life."

Mercy....Empathy....compassion......not bad traits. Everybody makes mistakes and I dont see why people have such a hard time with being human......

They are all repent but only because they got caught. Had they still been free they would still be running drugs. No mercy just execute them. Think of how many people are being helped by doing that

"Their senseless, brutal deaths leave the world a poorer place," she said in a statement given to AFP Thursday via her lawyer Craig Tuck.

Oh how I wish he would use the very same words to describes the criminal and inhuman acts of all

drug smugglers and drug dealers all over the world pointing at his very own client....

"drug dealers all over the world..." You're not referring to the two deadliest types of drugs, are you? I'm referring, of course, to alcohol and Big Pharma drugs. No, of course not. You're referring to all recreational drugs, other than alcohol. Good boy, you keep on thinking just how the politicians, Alcohol Corporation execs, and whiskey drinkers want you to think.

'... the pair were "reformed men -- good men who transformed the lives of people around them".' But if they hadn't been caught?

An unrepentant serail killer or serial child molestor would find little sympathy with me, but there are other things which are in my own opinion, just terrible terrible choices that people make, for which they don't deserve to die.

But most people are quite happy to see the world in black and white.

So a repentant serial killer is ok?

He said they would find little sympathy with him ! Try reading the last line too. Lay off the Chang maybe!

The British government are not willing to help finance the grandmum's appeal - perhaps because she was caught with almost 5 kg of cocaine in her bags.

I imagine that the Foreign Office are reserving their limited funds to help actually innocent Brits, rather than the guilty Brits, a policy with which I agree.

But, but, but ... she's a woman, she's a granny, she's white, she's old, she's English ..... that's exactly why she was perfect to be a smuggler. Unfortunately she got caught and is having buyer's remorse.

I only wish the Indonesians have a less gory way to execute people.