Death sentence for British woman

I suppose it's possible that representations are being made "behind the scenes".

The government have been making approaches asking the sentence be commuted to a prison sentence. I can't see what else the government can do. We can't dictate to another country how they should run their affairs. We can hardly send in the gunboats (even if we had them!!).

She knowingly broke the law of that country and whilst we all agree the death penalty is too harsh a sentence she can't expect the British Government to get her out of trouble. I understand the British Government are continuing their representations for the death sentence to be communted.

Although I have very little sympathy for her, when sentenced to death for something that in the UK would barely warrant more than a few months in prison and is unduly hard even by Indonesian standars, plus when there is a real disparity between her sentence and that of her more heavily involved partners I do think the British Government should do more.

I have just read this on the BBC website:
The British woman facing death by firing squad for drug smuggling in Bali has said the UK government is doing "very little" to support her.
Lindsay Sandiford lost an appeal over the UK government's refusal to fund her appeal against her death sentence.
She told the BBC the government's lack of help was "tantamount to condoning the death penalty".
Sandiford, 56, has insisted she is innocent, saying she was blackmailed into smuggling cocaine last May.
She was convicted in January and sentenced to death after the judge rejected the prosecution's recommendation of a 15-year prison sentence.

While I deeply regret the heavy sentence imposed on her and cannot understand why the judge chose to overrule the prosecution' s recommendation, I am not sure she can lay the blame at the UK government's door for not funding her appeal.

Sadly still many, many women(and some men too) who men find easy to manipulate and coerce, bully etc. For people who are strong and less easily manipulated it is sometimes hard to comprehend how women get into these awful situations. i know we have to take responsibility for our actions but some believe they have no choice.

Gracesmum, I remember the Bangkok Hilton with a very young Nicole Kidman and like you issued dire warnings to my son when he went off travelling in Thailand, I almost wanted to get him to watch the film to scare him a bit.

I wouldn't like to make a judgement about this woman's culpability, but would just echo Eloethan's post, I think the death penalty is barbaric and I pray that she will still get a reprieve not only for her sake but also for her family.

People who were present at sentencing say there was enormous shock at her receiving the death penalty because the prosecution had not requested it, but had asked for a 15 year sentence.

I agree with jane - whatever she has done, she deserved timely and proper legal representation. She was just a very small link in a criminal chain and, as usual, those most responsible have got away with it.

I think the death penalty is barbaric and degrades humanity. I wouldn't wish it on her or anybody else.

At least 14 years I think!

If she is guilty following a fair trail in open court then she should serve an appropriate sentence. I do not agree with the death penalty. If she had been found guilty of smuggling that amount of drugs into the UK she would be facing a hefty sentence.

When in Rome do as the Roman's do. It is a shame that sso mant British people travelling abroad think that they are above the law, whether it is expats in Saudi upset at being arrested for drink and sex offences or drug smugglers in the far east.

I have every sympathy for this lady, and particularly her family. In this case the sentence does seem to be far more severe than can be justified even by the laws of the country involved.

I understand the UK government have made approaches asking that the death penalty be commuted. I am against the death penalty, but do think she should serve a lengthy jail term.

I think a lot of westerners seem to think they can break the laws of another country and their own government will step in and get them out of trouble. Smuggling and selling drugs is a particularly heinous crime as it can affect so many people.

Ms Sandiford has lost her appeal in the Bali High Court. She now has 14 days to appeal to the Supreme Court. Even the prosecution seems surprised that a) the death sentence was passed on the first place given that she was very co-operative after her arrest and b) the appeal has been turned down. I, for one, hope the UK government is bringing pressure to bear on the Indonesian government to commute the sentence.

Sorry Absent my I pad wrote something entirely different . I wanted to say that grundies(knickers earlier on) have been known as trollies in other parts of the country.
I also wanted to say that everyone seemed to be against the death penalty that mature women should know better than to smuggle drugs ,and should realise the death penalty is carried out in some countries and that remembering that, walking in other people's moccasins is good exercise for the brain. I would not condemn a woman applauding the death sentence for a drug smuggler if she had had her family destroyed by drug addiction.
I am in the shadow of United Nations at the moment and can see why they have such a hopeless task

Perhaps that is why people do not feel a lot of sympathy with her .

To act as a drug mule is not really a good thing . Possibly why ALL Border patrols are doing their ^ VERY BEST ^ to prevent it .

The pain and misery of addicts and their families must be horrendous .

But hey, as long as the drug barons get richer by the minute !!?!?

Ooops sorry Petallus forgot to add that having looked at this woman's photograph she doesn't look anything like I thought she would. I know you should never judge a book by its cover though so hey ho !

I cannot agree with the death penalty for this woman or for anyone else. I watched the Trevor McDonald documentary Inside Death Row (ITV) last night and felt sick to my stomach thinking about these people facing the death penalty. My DH said I was a typical "Bleeding Heart" and I would feel differently if anyone harmed anyone belonging to me, however I still cannot understand how murdering a murderer makes things right.

I can't help wondering why there is such a lack of sympathy for this woman. I haven't seen her picture but I am guessing she is of a certain type of person Gransnetters would disapprove of (basically a 'chav').

Yes, she knew the rules but it is also true that sometimes when women receive draconian sentences in their own country (death by stoning or whatever) we are scandalised and sign petitions for clemency.

She knew what she was doing full well . Took a chance anyway . Probably thought some you win, some you lose . Death penalty , bit severe .
The rules of the country though .

I wonder how much our opinion is affected by the appearance of the individual concerned? I'm only saying this because [and I'm being brutally honest with myself here] I only saw a photo of the woman a couple of days ago and found it very difficult to feel any sympathy or empathy. Although I will never, ever believe in death penalties under any circumstances.

Heard on news that she wants the government to pay the £2,000 for her .

Seems a bit much that the family cannot do it . Still suppose do not know their circumstances !!

plenty of it today

If what is written about this lady in the papers is true, then she deserves to be punished. I don't agree with the death penalty (except in very heinous circumstances - rape & murder of children), but unfortunately that is the punishment in some countries and if you commit a particular crime there, then you stand the risk of being sentenced to death.

The solution is easy - don't commit the crime!

I can't feel sorry for her. This situation is a little like the older women you read about who get involved with some young man (mainly African or Arabic men) and then beat their breasts when they lose their money and their homes. The difference being, of course, that they aren't sentenced to death! Although it must be pretty awful for them to lose everything. But once again, I can't feel sorry for them. No fool like an old fool!

What? Sorry Stansgran, I didn't follow your post at all. Obviously have a senior sort of day.

Grungier could be troll lies in another part of the world. So we are all agreed in principle that mature women should not smuggle drugs into countries where there is the death penalty,that we don't approve of the death penalty but that some of us could hand the brimming beaker to a Beria or Amin (or similar) and that we are all nice people and try each others moccasins all the time. This thread is stressful for people in Geneva who have the UN looming over them.

petallus Never heard of grundies before. Well, who lives may learn. I realised why you made the remark – but life gets teejus don' it?