Indonesia Cuts Jail Terms of Australia Drug Traffickers
http://dervishcom.blogspot.com/2011/11/indonesia-cuts-jail-terms-of-australia.html
Two Australian drug traffickers jailed for 20 years on the island of Bali had their sentences cut Wednesday as part of Indonesia’s Independence Day celebrations, an official said.
Schapelle Corby and Renae Lawrence had their sentences reduced by five and six months respectively, the resort island’s Kerobokan prison chief Siswanto told AFP.
“The official letter has not been handed out due to a technical matter but it’s confirmed that Corby and Renae receive sentence cuts,” he said.
It’s the fifth time Corby, and sixth time Renae, have received sentence reductions, he said, adding the cuts total 22 months for Corby and 29 months for Lawrence. Well-behaved prisoners traditionally receive sentence reductions on Indonesia’s Independence Day.
Corby, 33, was found guilty of trafficking 4.1 kilograms (nine pounds) of marijuana in 2005. She has always maintained her innocence and claims international drug smugglers placed the marijuana in her luggage.
She submitted a clemency appeal to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in July asking for a sentence reduction. Her lawyers had asked that she be released on humanitarian grounds because of mental illness.
Lawrence, 33, is one of the so-called “Bali Nine,” a group of Australians convicted over a plot to smuggle 8.3 kilograms of heroin from Bali into Australia in 2005.
Schapelle Corby and Renae Lawrence had their sentences reduced by five and six months respectively, the resort island’s Kerobokan prison chief Siswanto told AFP.
“The official letter has not been handed out due to a technical matter but it’s confirmed that Corby and Renae receive sentence cuts,” he said.
It’s the fifth time Corby, and sixth time Renae, have received sentence reductions, he said, adding the cuts total 22 months for Corby and 29 months for Lawrence. Well-behaved prisoners traditionally receive sentence reductions on Indonesia’s Independence Day.
Corby, 33, was found guilty of trafficking 4.1 kilograms (nine pounds) of marijuana in 2005. She has always maintained her innocence and claims international drug smugglers placed the marijuana in her luggage.
She submitted a clemency appeal to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in July asking for a sentence reduction. Her lawyers had asked that she be released on humanitarian grounds because of mental illness.
Lawrence, 33, is one of the so-called “Bali Nine,” a group of Australians convicted over a plot to smuggle 8.3 kilograms of heroin from Bali into Australia in 2005.
