[Mb-civic] Ourageous Guilty Verdict and 20-Year Sentence!

[Ian]

Dear Friends:
Please read the article below.  It may not be the most important issue in the world, but it is nevertheless an outrage.  Even were this woman guilty - and I'm betting she isn't, given that even the Australian government doesn't think so (not only have they been investigating a drug smuggling ring that uses unknowing "mules" to smuggle drugs, but they helped pay her legal fees) - a 20-year sentence is outrageously harsh, even in Indonesia.

If you are as outraged as I am by this, I urge you to call and/or write to the Indonesian Consulate in New York: clog their phones, overfill their mailbox.  Let them know this type of overly harsh treatment is unacceptable in a civilized society.

The Indonesian Consulate is at:

Indonesian Consulate General
5 East 68th Street
New York, NY  10021
212.879.0600

Peace.

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Fury at Bali drugs verdict
(CNN) -- Many Australians reacted with anger and shock after a Queensland woman they believe is innocent was found guilty of smuggling drugs into Bali and sentenced to 20 years' jail. 

On Friday Indonesian judges found Schapelle Corby "legally and convincingly" guilty of smuggling marijuana into Bali in a case that has generated unprecedented interest among Australians and a diplomatic balancing act for the nation's leader.

The 27-year-old beauty therapist, who has been held in a Bali jail since her arrest on 8 October last year, was sentenced to 20 years in prison and fined 100 million rupiah ($10,700) on Friday.

She was arrested at Ngurah Rai Airport in Denpasar after 4.1 kilograms (9 pounds) of marijuana were found concealed in her boogie board bag. 

The case has galvanized public opinion in Australia, with a recent survey showing 90 percent thought Corby was innocent, believing her defense argument that the drugs found in her possession were planted by baggage handlers in Australia. 

Corby's defense team was buoyed by news Australian Federal Police and Qantas Airways were investigating the role of baggage handlers in a cocaine smuggling operation. 

But on Friday chaotic scenes broke out as the guilty verdict was read, with Corby's family and supporters yelling out from the back of the court that "Schapelle is innocent."

Corby, who had largely maintained her composure during the two hour proceedings, pleaded with her family to calm down before turning to her mother, mouthing the words: "It's OK mum. I'm alright."

With tears streaming down her face Corby then slapped her head with her hands before being allowed to embrace her visibly distressed parents and sister.

Corby was led from the court room surrounded by a wall of security as they struggled to move her through a massive press contingent that had converged on the Denpasar court house to cover the verdict.

Outside the court Corby's sister Mercedes said the family would appeal the verdict.

"This is not fair. We will get Schapelle home."

Her financial backer Australian businessman Ron Bakir described the verdict as "a massive injustice," and said he would do whatever it took to get her home.

Many callers to radio talk shows in Australia were incensed, and some said they regretted making donations to Indonesian tsunami victims, The Associated Press reported. Others called for Australians to boycott Bali.

Even before the sentence, there were calls for Australians to boycott the popular holiday destination of Bali and to ban Indonesian products.

Prime Minister John Howard said he understood why Australians felt so deeply about the Corby case. 

"The fact that we are a nation whose young travel so much, it is an issue that has touched this country very directly," he said. 

Trying to keep a fragile relationship with Jakarta intact, Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said any criticism of Indonesia or its justice system would be counterproductive and reflect very badly on Australia.

The Australian government had already provided substantial financial support to Corby's cause, he said, and additional legal support had been offered for any appeal.

Dismissed key evidence
The panel of three judges dismissed key evidence prepared by her defense team, including that of Australia prisoner John Ford who backed Corby's claim that she was an unwitting "drug mule."

The judges found Corby's defense team could not prove if there was another person responsible for the drugs.

"The defendant has been proven legally and convincingly guilty" a translator quoted the judges as saying on Sky News.

"We've found that drugs were imported into Indonesia. Importation is illegal in Indonesia and it occurred at Ngurah Rai Airport in Denpasar. This occurred without a licence or any permit to do so. It may not be done by anyone."

"She has been unrepentant to this. It is found the defendant is responsible for the narcotics and this should be considered when handing down the judgment." 

Security was stepped up around the Bali courthouse Friday morning with more than 100 officers guarding the building amid concerns of a terror threat. 

Already the case has triggered a series of threats against Indonesian diplomatic missions in Australia and Indonesia.

A team of Australian officials will head to Indonesia within the next ten days to discuss a prisoner transfer agreement between the two countries that would see Corby serve her sentence in Australia.

Corby has always maintained her innocence.

During her trial Corby maintained that she was the victim of a drug trafficking operation involving baggage handlers at Australian airports.
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