Death sentence for Briton Lindsay Sandiford

[MKR&*42]

A 56-year-old British grandmother has been sentenced to death by firing squad in Indonesia for drug trafficking.
Lindsay Sandiford was arrested at Bali's airport in May last year after 4.8kg (10.6lb) of cocaine was found in the lining of her suitcase during a routine customs check.
Sandiford, whose last UK address was in Gloucestershire, said she was coerced into bringing the drugs to the island.
Foreign Office minister Hugo Swire has condemned the sentence.
He told MPs the government strongly objected to the death penalty imposed.
Her lawyers have said they were "surprised" at the verdict and would appeal. Prosecutors had recommended a 15-year sentence of imprisonment.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-21137649 << More here.

She also claimed this...

Earlier, she had told the court that she acted as a courier only because “the lives of my children were in danger”. In interviews, she said she was forced to carry the drugs into Bali from Bangkok by a UK-based drugs gang that had threatened to kill one of her sons. The court also heard that she had mental health problems.
Jennifer Fleetwood, a University of Kent expert on the role of women in the international drug trade, testified that her vulnerability “may have unfortunately made her an attractive target for threats, manipulation and coercion”.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/wo...g-8461071.html

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I'm genuinely shocked at the fact she's got a death sentence for this. I knew certain countries were incredibly strict on exporting/importing drugs, but a death sentence is beyond extreme.

[Lee]

Woah this will be on Banged Up Abroad soon... Hope she gets an appeal.

[Kardan]

She got given a sentence that was way larger than even what the prosecution were asking for... Very strange... I agree that the death penalty here is too extreme, hopefully something gets done...

[GommeInc]

Death by firing squad is pretty horrific. What doesn't make sense is that the Court/Government have said that her actions have made Bali/Indonesia gain this negative international image... What they do not realise that killing tourists isn't really appealing, either. Plus if anything it shows how quick the anti-drugs search can pick up drugs, so their arguments simply do not make sense.

[Chippiewill]

I'm genuinely shocked at the fact she's got a death sentence for this. I knew certain countries were incredibly strict on exporting/importing drugs, but a death sentence is beyond extreme.

Moral Relativism. The expectation that laws and punishments would/should be consistent between countries is ridiculous.

You ought to try a less dogmatic approach to morality.

[MKR&*42]

Moral Relativism. The expectation that laws and punishments would/should be consistent between countries is ridiculous.

You ought to try a less dogmatic approach to morality.

Let's try inserting "In my opinion, a death sentence is beyond extreme." instead then? I don't expect another country to follow the laws and attitudes of the U.K (for example) nor did I demand they do so... I was aware that harsher sentences are generally issued in other countries, but a death sentence 'shocked' me and I personally find it extreme. It's not as if I screamed "the attitudes over here are much better and every other country should follow them and base their laws upon them."

[peteyt]

Am I the only one annoyed that a lot of people wouldn't be caring for this women if she wasn't in the UK. While drugs are bad the sentence is obviously too high for her crime and she should be freed but there's a lot of people who are treat far worse in countries like the one she's in, for basically talking against their government, activists who get arrested for having a voice. It just seems a lot of people only care when it's related to them somehow.

[-:Undertaker:-]

If she is indeed guilty, as the famous phrase goes 'when in Rome, do as the Romans do'.

[AgnesIO]

If you don't want to face the sentences that other countries are KNOWN to have, don't break the other countries laws in the first place.

I know she says about the family were in risk blah blah blah, but I don't buy it.

[Catchy]

Love how they try and make us feel so sympathetic by throwing the word grandmother into the title of this story... And???